Band on the Run
by Abyssal Divinity
Summary: Their latest gig did not go so well, and the after party was even worse. Now, the two man band is in the run enemies in high places while going on a world tour to collect members for their group.WARNING: contains course language and violence. PG15 .
1. What Happened?

_**Band on the Run**_

Summary: Their latest gig did not go so well, and the after party was even worse. Now, the two man band is in the run enemies in high places while going on a world tour trying to collect members for their group. Dealing with back alley business, insane fans, haters, henchmen, gang fights, old ruins and near death traps just how will this infamous group survive as they try to place their names in history.

Note: I don't really know anything about how rare or expensive guitars and the like are so I'm just going to go with what kinds of guitars and such I can find but I think it would be better if I included the names and make of the instruments. If there are any complaints I'll remove the instrument names.

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own the characters from the manga "Naruto" which are used in this story, they were created by Misashi Kishimoto. I am _not_ the inventor of any of the instruments mentioned in this fan fiction, credit is to the inventors of these instruments. I do however own this story plot and any original characters that appear.

**Chapter 1: What happened?**

"Ugh, I feel like shit."

"Shut up Naruto, I'm trying to sleep." Naruto lifted his hand to his spiky blond hair and scratched his head before rubbing his forehead.

"Teme, what smells so bad?"

"I said shut up Naruto!" Naruto opened his eyes to look up and see two towering brick walls to either side. The sun's rays barely entered through the gap between the two walls. Naruto blinked twice. Before looking to his right and seeing that he was lieing in a dumpster. Naruto panicked and rolled to his left only to fall out of the dumpster and fall onto a motionless figure lieing face-down on the floor, with messy raven-black hair covering it's face. It figure lifted it's left arm and rolled to around to cause Naruto to continue rolling for another couple of feet. The figure then sat up straight.

"Get off dobe!" Sasuke yelled at Naruto. His hair was a mess making his black eye barely visible. "I'm trying to sl- Suddenly noticing the area they were in and the state of each other, Sasuke momentarily stopped his complaint's. He lifted his hand to his head and crossed his legs. "Uh, this is one bad head-ache. Where are we dobe." Naruto looked both ways before saying:

"An alleyway." Sasuke picked up the nearest thing he could get a hold of with his free hand and threw it at Naruto.

"Isn't that a bit obvious?!" Naruto brushed the old French fries off himself and stood up. "Where are you going?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm going to figure out what happened to my gui-" Naruto stopped in mid-sentence as he saw his personally styled Flying V guitar lieing broken in the dumpster. Naruto started to feel tears well up in his eyes as he looked at the guitar his dad gave him only a couple of years before he passed away. He clenched his fists and looked at the ground.

Sasuke looked at Naruto's guitar and knew how much it meant to him as a memento of his father. Sasuke got up and placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"I'm sorry for your loss Naruto. We'll try to get it fix-." Sasuke then looked and saw that his Gibson EB-3 bass guitar broken at the neck and with large cracks on it's body. Sasuke looked at his bass, his eye twitching non-stop. He reached out and picked up the instrument only for the body to fall to pieces. Sasuke and Naruto looked silently at their instruments.

"I'm gonna kill the ass hole who destroyed my bass!" Sasuke shouted in pure rage.

"Calm down Sasuke. If they hear you then they'll probably run away." Sasuke looked at Naruto. He sighed.

"OK, let's see what happened last night." Sasuke started. "We went to play at the gig. And I remember seeing a few bottles flying at us..." Both Naruto as lifted there hands to feel lumps from the bruises on their heads. "Well that explains something."

"Then when we were done we went to that cheap restaurant down the road." Naruto added. "Then I don't remember anything past that though."

"I guess we better find that restaurant then, but first." Sasuke walked towards the street and looked out to see old, crumbling buildings, garbage littered all over the street, rats rummaging through the garbage and an old newspaper flying about in the wind.

"Where the hell are we?" Sasuke asked. Naruto walked into the street and looked at the messy area.

"Maybe we should try down the other way." He pointed his thumb behind him.

"Hn. Only in a world where you can walk through a fence." Naruto looked back and, indeed, there was an old, rusty fence that was bending forwards.

"Just watch me. I can get over that." Sasuke started:

"Naruto stop-" but he was too late and Naruto was already making a bee line for the fence, clutching the remains of his guitar as he ran. As he was about to leap over the fence, he felt a tug on the back of his t-shirt and was thrown back onto the floor in the alley. He looked and shouted:

"Teme! I could've made-"

"Then what would you have done about that!" Sasuke pointed behind him past the fence where lay some razor wire in the waiting. Naruto looked dumb-founded and realized that his friend had just saved his life. "What would you have done if you were caught in that huh? We don't know where we are and there's no way I'm going to get caught in the mess with you while trying to save your sorry ass dobe." Naruto only looked up at Sasuke and then towards the lethal trap of razor wire that could ensnare anyone who dared to tread on it.

"Thanks teme." Sasuke offered his hand to help Naruto up. Naruto took it and Sasuke pulled him up.

"Let's go dobe."

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They looked about themselves. They had walked for roughly an hour since they left the alley way, carrying their broken instruments with them as they walked along. The sun was high now and it's heat bared down on the two of them and they continued walking through the streets around the old buildings. They were both tired and hungry

"I'd give anything for one of Ichiraku's pork ramen right now."

"You'd always give anything for ramen."

"Shut it teme."

"Make me dobe."

"Maybe I will."

"How, your tired and don't look like you could throw a punch, let alone hit me."

"You wouldn't be able to dodge."

"Shut up dobe."

Silence took place and they kept walking. One step at a time. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right.

"Are we there yet?" Naruto said after a few minutes.

"No Naruto."

"Are we there yet?"

"No dobe."

"Are we there yet?"

"NO WE"RE NOT THERE YET. NOW WILL YOU SHUT UP!" Sasuke exploded.

Suddenly, Naruto and Sasuke heard a growling and looked behind themselves to see a thin, mangy dog that drooled over the sides of it's mouth as it stared at them with a look of hunger when the hunter finds the hunted. Naruto and Sasuke stared at the dog and it stared back. The dog receded into a pouncing position before bounding towards it's prey in an insane, uncontrolled, wild manner. They both widened their eyes and turned around to bolt off around the old, ruined buildings. Their tiredness and hunger completely forgotten as their minds scream: 'Run, run for your lives!' and their bodies complied seemingly as if they said 'You don't have to tell me you blood filled moron! I'm out of here!'.

They both ran and ran as fast as they could until they reached a dead end with one turn round the left corner. They skidded, arms occupied by their destroyed instruments. Using their feet alone, they scrambled to their feet as the dog came skidding around the corner, a rapid look about it as it's tongue hung out of the side of it's mouth and it's sharp teeth were bare, glinting in the sunlight. As the hound tried to turn side-ways, it's skidded and crashed into the decrepit wall. It's head turning upwards as it's body smashed against the wall and cracking sounds of destroyed bones echoed and shot through the air to make any man's hair stand on end. It's legs scratched away at the old brick wall to try and catch up to the two fleeing humans.

"Don't :pant: look :pant: back :pant:" Sasuke tried to say between gasps of breathing and inhaling air.

"No :pant: shit :pant: smart ass!:" Naruto sent back as he jumped over a bin laying on it's side.

The dog had sacrificed enough and wasn't going to go down until it had it's fill of flesh. It's ran. It chased. It felt the pain of the shards of bone laying beneath it's skin. It's leapt over the tumbled bin and made it's way towards it's hopeful salvation.

The duo turned a corner and stared through a fence, standing high and tall, into an alleyway and at the end of this alley way lay the sunlight shining upon civilization. They ran up to the fence, placing the straps of their guitars around them selves and shoving the smaller broken pieces into their pockets. They jumped and soared at the fence and met it with a crash and small clangs of metal at the fence and they clasped onto it with their hands and started to scramble their feet against the fence as they hurriedly climbed up it. The hound was desperate. It charged at the fence and crashed into it, causing it to shake back and forth wildly. The two had to hold on tight until the shaking stopped before they could climb further up the fence. The dog jumped up. It snapped it's teeth wildly. It's saliva crawled towards it's neck and flew as droplets all around the beast. Sasuke reached further up and pulled himself to the top.

"Ow!" Not looking, he grasped a hold of barbed wire that pierced his hand and caused ugly wounds.

"ARGH! THAT HURT YOU DAMN MUT!" Naruto screamed at the hound and Sasuke looked to see wounds where the dog's teeth had bore into Naruto's ankle as he climbed to the top. They were safely out of reach, if positioned correctly, of the hound's relentless attacks.

"Any last words teme?" Naruto asked only to have Sasuke look at him with a look of 'What the hell are you on about?'.

"Hn. You think we're going to die pathetically here?"

"We may." Sasuke eyed at Naruto as if he expected to be thrown down as a decoy. Then he smirked.

"Al right, I hate your favourite band and your singing voice is awful."

"I slept with your ex." Sasuke looked at Naruto with a look of hatred.

"You what! Al right that's it, we're getting out of here so that I can kill you myself!" Sasuke carelessly reached over the barbed wire, causing multiple cuts and scratches on his arm. He then threw himself over, feeling the metal as it tore at his skin as he moved over it. He landed less than gracefully and looked back at Naruto. Then he saw how the fence started to falter with the weight of Naruto and the force of the dogs as it crashed into the fence trying to bite Sasuke.

"Your turn." Sasuke said as he looked a Naruto.

"What do you mean 'my turn'?!" Naruto retorted.

"Just jump already." Naruto could have sworn he heard his friend mutter 'Dobe' after he spoke.

Naruto chose to climb over instead and felt the wire strike at his skin as he crawled over. After Naruto landed, he felt nothing but pain throughout his body. He was scratched from head to toe and the bite on his leg was not looking good. The dog barked through the cage as it continued to try and reach them. Sasuke bent down and put Naruto's arm around his neck as he helped him to his feet. Sasuke started to walk slowly, supporting Naruto as they walked out of the alley. Hearing the dog's barks behind them.

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"NANI?!" Naruto screamed over the counter towards the shop attendant.

"I've told you already, sir. These instruments are damaged beyond repair, the body needs to be completely replaced, the strings are breaking, the nut is worn out, the headstock is on the verge of breaking off, the knobs are missing along with the pick-guards from both the guitar and bass guitar. What did you do to these instruments? The electrics alone are damaged so much that the only option would be to replace them. Cost-wise, your only other option is to buy different guitars."

Naruto slamed his bandaged wrist on the counter and then clenched his teeth so that he would let out a yelp of pain. Sasuke merely sighed, but Naruto knew tat he was just as sad and pissed off.

"The hospital bill already took most of our money." He said. "There's no way we can buy instruments any time soon." The shop attendant eyed the two of them from top to bottom. The loud one who was on the verge of losing it had spiky blond hair, a neon orange t-shirt, jeans and a pair of white skateboarding shoes on. He also had blue hair and barely tanned skin. He seemed to be going for an over-reactive image that caught everyone's attention. The calm one had jet black hair that stuck up at the back and was more downy at the front and onyx-dark eyes. He wore a white t-shirt, jeans and a pair of white running shoes. He was even less tanned but that only added to the dark aura and image he was letting off. Personality wise these guys were almost polar opposites.

"So do you know where it is?" The shop keeper snapped back down to Earth.

"Sorry, what did you want to know?" He asked.

"Do you know how to get to the ramen restaurant on 5th street?" The attendant thought for a minute.

"Ah yes, that place, yeah, you just go down the road for 3 blocks and then take the first left."

"Thanks." Sasuke said. He then stopped as he was about to grab his instrument. "Do you have a couple of plastic bags we can use?" The assistant rummaged around behind the counter before producing a pair of plastic bags.

"Here you go."

"Thanks." Sasuke said as he placed the pieces of his instrument in his bag. Naruto did the same.

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They were walking down the road, holding their bags in their hands. The strode in silence as they turned the corner onto 5th street and proceeded to walk up to and stand in front of the building where someone may be able to tell them what happened to land them next to a dumpster, in one in Naruto's case, with completely destroyed instruments and cuts, bruises and black eyes. They opened the door and entered the restaurant. When they entered everyone turned silent and stared at them. As they looked at the crowd before walking to the owner of the restaurant. As they walked, they heard mutterings and whispers from the crowd.

They sat down at the counter and looked at the owner who stared back at them, worry written all over his face.

"I'll take a coke." Naruto said.

"Orange juice here." Sasuke said.

"Take it and leave." The owner said harshly as he served the drinks.

"Not yet, we want some information." Sasuke said before drinking his juice.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"What exactly happened last night?" Naruto asked. The owner looked at the sceptically.

"You mean you don't remember? Well I suppose you wouldn't after a fight like that."

"That explains this." Sasuke said holding his right hand over his black eye. "I don't think I got drunk though."

"Of course you didn't, your under age."

"How do you know?" Naruto asked. The owner held up a couple of ID cards. "Oh."

"The guys checked to see who you were after they beat the shit out of you."

"So what happened then?" Sasuke asked after he finished his drink."

"You want the bare details or the whole thing?"

"Enough to work with." He nodded.

"Well you came in looking pretty down, sat down, had a couple of drinks. There were a couple of guys trying to make a deal at the table behind you and then you started to tell them to f-off when a couple of goons asked you to leave." He said pointing at Naruto. "After that you all got into a fight, they took your ID cards and then drag you off to who-knows-where."

"Any idea who these goons were?" Sasuke inquired.

"No, but a friend of a friend of mine does dealings on the black market and underground and gave me pictures of who to look out for." He dropped a couple of photos down showing a young man, roughly their age, with long brown hair tied in a ponytail with lavender eyes and the other photo showed a young man who wore small black glasses to hide his eyes and had some kind of a brown afro.

"You two had a run in with Neji Hyuga and Shino Aburame. Both of them have strong connections all over the world. If you ask me, your both dead if they find you alive."

The two just looked at the photos, memorising them, before Naruto said:

"Shit."

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So what do you think for my first Fanfic? Sorry for the grammar, I'm slightly dyslexic (Praise the spell checker.). Sorry if the chapter is too short but I'm only going to get things rolling from chapter 2 onwards.

I'll except any criticism and complaints. Stay tuned for the next chapter:

**Chapter 2: First leg of the Course**


	2. First Leg of the Course

Disclaimer: I do _not_ own the characters from the manga "Naruto" which are used in this story, they were created by Misashi Kishimoto. I am _not_ the inventor of any of the instruments mentioned in this fan fiction, credit is to the inventors of these instruments. I do however own this story plot and any original characters that appear.

Angelic101: Thanks for your review. C'mon, your not bad at forming good sentences, it's just a different style, let your imagination go wild then try to picture each bit piece by piece. Though my friends do find the stories I write kind of addicting for some reason. Of course I'm going to include some romance, there's so much cliché(Keyboard prob.) to use from romance, but there will not be any SasuNaru, I hate that pairing. However, the Sakura your writing about and the one that I'm going to write about are very different. Yeah Naruto's going to be part of the laughs in this story.

Without further a due:

**Chapter 2: First Leg of the Course**

"Flight AK701 for the Northern Continent 52 will be boarding now. All passengers please make your way to gate 14."

Naruto and Sasuke looked about as the intercom spoke mechanically. Sasuke looked at his ticket.

"That's us." He said before standing and hanging his dark indigo book bag over his shoulder.

"About time." Naruto picked up his orange and black themed back pack and pulled it up until it hung on his shoulder.

The two walked up to the attendants at the gate and gave their tickets.

"Please enjoy your flight." One said to them as they received their tickets back.

They walked down past the seats and walked down the walkway in silence.

"Tickets please." The stewards and stewardesses asked as the duo entered the plane. They flashed their tickets and pointed to the the back of the plane were their seats stayed bolted to the plane. They both walked down. When they got there, Sasuke placed his bag under the seat in front of him. Naruto looked at him questioningly.

"Your not going to put it over head?" Sasuke just sat down, put his seat belt on and closed his eyes before saying calmly:

"I trust no one but myself with my possessions."

Naruto just placed his backpack in the overhead locker and then sat down in his seat next to Sasuke.

"You know, I wanted the window seat." He grumbled.

"Hn. But I was here first." Sasuke spoke smugly.

Naruto was about to shout back when the safety instructions started being played on the televisions and the stewardess told him to put his seat belt on.

Sasuke thought back to the conversation at the restaurant as he looked out the window.

_Flashback_

"_Shit."_

_That was all Naruto could say. He stared at the photos and just seemed lost from this world._

"_Tell you what." The owner said._

"_Hm?" Naruto looked at the man who held his hand to his chin and seemed to be in thought as if concocting a master plan._

"_Your Uchiha and Uzumaki ne?"_

"_Yeah." Sasuke said, ready to start a fight._

"_I new your dads. They helped me out of a lot of tricky situations and kept me from going bankrupt when I had to pay for my daughter's hospital bill."_

"_So?" Sasuke said._

"_Well seeing as how they saved me from the streets and my daughter from death, I'm going to repay my debt to them and help you two out." Sasuke looked at him, surprised by the offer, but none the less vigilant._

"_How?" He asked._

"_Well when your parents called me up and said they needed a chef for a restaurant I couldn't resist and I managed to bring my whole family along. But I stopped in various places around the Northern and Eastern continents while taking a set of cheap flights and made some friends, a few crooks, but well connected. They may be able to help you two out." Sasuke eyed him wearily yet intrigued by the offer._

"_Where can we find these people?" The man smirked._

"_The closest one who owes me anything is in Northern 52, she lost in a game of cards. She owns a music shop and some, uh, back alley businesses. She can help you out with your instrument problem." He waved to the two bags. "She also can get you a place to stay." Sasuke looked at the man suspiciously while Naruto jumped for joy._

"_What are we waiting for, let's go teme!"_

"_Hold on." He said. Naruto stopped jumping and the man looked at him sternly. "This sounds too good to be true, what's the flip side to this person?" He asked, and the man grinned._

"_She's the most violent and strong person I've ever met. Get on the wrong side of her you will feel very close to hell." He said. Sasuke was wide-eyed. Naruto gulped. Then Sasuke smirked._

"_We'll see."_

_Flashback_

"-your safety instruction card and feel free to ask the attendants if you have any questions. Thank you for choosing Umino airlines. We hope you have a nice day."

_'It's been three days since then.' He sighed. ''I'm so glad they didn't ransack the apartment.'_

Sasuke continued to look out the window as the plane lined up on the runway. Naruto put his hand on Sasuke's head and pushed it out of the way so that he could look out too.

"Let me see teme." A vein appeared on Sasuke's head before he shouted in Naruto's ear.

"Get out of my face you idiot!"

"Shut up teme!"

"B-both of you p-p-please, y-your d-d-disturbing the other p-passengers." The shy girl said from the seat just across the ail. She wore a small yellow hat, a dark blue jumper, a pair of jeans and a pair of simple black shoes. The yellow hat wasn't in the greatest of fashion sense but Naruto's eyes lay on her short, badly cut as if in a hurry, dark hair and her mesmerising lavender eyes. Naruto blushed as he looked at her. She blushed as she looked at him. Sweet silence took place much to the joy of some of the other passengers.

Sasuke snapped his fingers in front of Naruto's face.

"People are staring dobe." Naruto snapped out of it and looked about to see people about staring at him and her. Heard some giggling in the background which made him blush. He looked at her again and saw that she was trying to hide the blush on her face by shrinking into her seat and pulling the collar of her fleas up until it covered part of her face.

_'Kawai'_ Naruto thought.

Sasuke looked out the window but stole a glance just before they took off. His eyes immediately focused on the colour of her lavender eyes and he thought: _'I swear I've seen those somewhere...'_ He brushed the thought from his mind and stared out the window. The engines were raring to go. They started up, growling. The plane started to move ever so slightly. However, Naruto decided this would be the perfect time to try to chat up the girl.

"So what's-" His voice was deafened out by the sudden burst of power and movement as the plane started to take off. Sasuke couldn't even hear him as they were by seated near the wings. He clasped his hands over his ears and winced as the sound reached them. He opened one eye to look at Naruto and the girl. He seemed to be trying to shout something inaudible while she covered her ears and seemed to be shouting _"What?"_. Sasuke smirked. This was going to be an interesting flight.

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It had been hours since they had taken off. Sasuke was listening to music with his old mp3 player, nodding his head away. Naruto had talked to the girl for most of the flight until a movie came on that they both watched.

It was a romance where a man fell in love to a women who was betrothed to a cold hearted knight who treated just about everyone bad. The man kept asking her, and begging her father to reconsider. Then he proved he could be just as good a warrior. He trained and fought the knight on the cliff of the mountain as the rain and wind and thunder shook the land around them. With a final, fortunate blow the man slew the knight and ended his bloody battle. After he was nursed back to health he finally married his love.

Naruto cried like a little boy as rivers of tears ran down his face. His eyes large and watery. Closing his eyes he hugged Sasuke.

"That was the happiest ending I've ever seeeeen!" He wailed as Sasuke was wide-eyed and held in this merciless embrace. He punched Naruto on top of the head. His face filled with anger and his fist clenched.

"Don't you ever do that again!" He commanded.

"Your so mean teme." Naruto said with tears running from his closed eyes as he held his head. The both heard a slight giggle and blinked twice.

"Y-you t-two are f-funny." She said. They blink once more.

"What's your name?" Sasuke asked.

She smiled slightly. _'Don't tell them who you are. They could know father.'_

"Hinata." She said.

Sasuke looked bored.

"Hinata who?" He asked.

"Hey teme, stop pressurizing her!" Naruto defended.

"It's OK." She said with a small smile. "H-hinata H-ha-hatake." She said the first thing to come to her mind. However random it was.

"Hatake. That sounds familiar." Sasuke said scratching his head. _'Think fast Hinata.'_ She decided to come up with a suitable reason.

"I g-get th-that all th-the t-time." She suddenly felt a knot in her gut. She didn't like lying, and these two seemed like good people which made her feel even worse. She felt slightly hungry and noticed Naruto had an unopened pack of peanuts right in front of him.

"N-Naruto-k-kun, c-can I h-have your n-nuts?" Naruto looked at her with a face of 'Eh?'. Then he grinned.

"I'll lend them to ya but I want them back. The Uzumaki does want kids someday." Sasuke spat out the juice as if he were a sprinkler he was drinking and then got into a small fit of coughs while Hinata blushed so much that she looked like she would faint. Sasuke picked up the pack of peanuts and threw it at Naruto's face.

"She means these ding bat!" Naruto looked dumb founded.

"Hehe sorry 'bout that." He said before handing the small packet over to Hinata.

After she took them, Naruto unbuckled his belt and stood.

"I'm off to the bathroom."

"Sure tell the whole world dobe."

"Shut it teme."

Naruto walked off to the small bathroom up the ail towards business class.

"Don't mind him, he's always like that." Sasuke commented. Hinata smiled slightly and her mouth curled on one side. Before she could speak, the intercom sounded.

"We will now be landing at the Northern Continent 52. Please make sure that you all return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts. We hope you enjoyed your flight with Umino airlines." Sasuke snapped to attention at this. His eyes widened.

"Naruto get out-" His voice was drowned out as the plane started to head down, fast. Very fast.

Sasuke and Hinata held onto their seats for dear life. The very movement outside caused a feeling of crushing pressure inside. They held on to the armrests nearly flying out of their seats. Their seat belts barely held on. Sasuke's face was filled with strain and his teeth were clenched. Hinata's eyes were closed as she let out a scream. She held on with her elegant hands trying to clasp onto the armrests properly.

After roughly ten minutes, they landed. Hard. Sasuke was thrown forwards and his head hit the seat in front. As he rubbed his head and the plane slowed to a halt, they heard a toilet flush. Naruto opened the door, covered in toilet paper, water and something that smelt awful.

"It's not funny!" He said as he looked back the rows of people. Sasuke burst out laughing. Only Naruto could be so stupid as to never listen.

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After Naruto had been cleaned up and collected their bags they both went to find the cab driver who was going to take them to the supposedly 'violent woman'. As they entered the main part of the building, they found Hinata standing alone.

"What's up?" Naruto spoke friendly.

"Um, I-I f-forgot to a-r-range a c-cab to p-pick me up." She said shyly. Naruto turned to Sasuke.

"Hey teme, we can let Hinata-chan come along with us right?"

"Hn. Do what you want."

"Al right, Hinata-chan, would you like come along with us?" Naruto asked her, scratching the back of his head. She blushed.

"A-aright N-Naruto-kun." She said.

"Al right, off we go!" Naruto held his fist high and started walking in a random direction. Sasuke grabbed onto his t-shirt and pointed in another direction.

"The driver is just there dobe." Naruto looked and then opened his mouth to say something. He then closed it, unable to think up a comeback.

They all headed over to the driver who led them to the car. After they were all seated, and there suitcases and bags in the back they set off.

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The air was cold, the sky was gloomy and it was raining. Naruto was shivering in the back, teeth chattering a tune like Morse code. Hinata was pulling her jumper closer over herself. Sasuke rested his head on his fist as he looked out the window.

They were driving through a large, dark city. They had been told that there was nothing but green hills and trees beyond the city. There were barely any cars driving about and the people were few and fierce. The driver told them that they were going through the back alleys as it attracted less attention and that everyone stayed to the main streets unless they needed something less, legal let's say. After going deep into town they arrived at a run down garage with a few guards protecting from the windows above. They spoke through the intercom.

"ID clearance and name."

"ID 227109654483, Jim Savage."

"Clear to go."

The old door in front of the car opened and they all stared into darkness. Hinata let out a small yelp in fear and tried to sink further into the seat. She was starting to think that she had made a mistake with going along with these two when the driver said:

"Nothin' to be afraid of love. The mistress is very nice and considerate, regardin' you stay on her good side."

They drove into the dark garage which actually was a ramp down underground. The rusty door closed behind them.

They drove down a long spiral road until they reached a dimly lit parking lot. They all got out and collected their belongings.

Sasuke felt agitated. If there were guards in the windows above the door, then was there anyone in the shadows or around corners here? Hinata shivered, but it wasn't a shiver out of being cold, it was out of fear. Naruto was tense and stayed silent as he looked about himself. The driver lock the car, one of the few in the whole large parking lot and led them down an aisle. Sasuke following him from a safe distance, not to close that the man could gut him, but not to far so that he you become suspicious. Naruto walked behind Sasuke with Hinata beside him. Time seemed to slow as they walked. Hearing every footstep. Hearing the rolling of the suitcase wheels like boulders. The sound of water dripping into a puddle at a far off distance. And it only slowed every second. When they finally reached the end after what was a torturous eternity the driver showed them a lift. Cleverly camouflaged to look like the wall. He slowly reached for and pressed the button to call the lift. The numbers above seemed to never change, but when you blink, they were completely different. The lift arrived with a 'Ding' and the doors opened to the sides. They all walked slowly in. Silent and alert. The doors closed. They suddenly felt trapped in a metal box – afraid and alone.

When the lift opened, they were blinded by light and used their hands to protect their eyes. When their eyes had adjusted they looked into a room where they heard a 'Ha' and saw a girl with strangely pink hair kick a huge, G.-like, muscular man out of a ring drawn on the ground and into a wall a good ten feet away. They all watched as the man fainted and cracks on the wall appeared. They turned their attention back to they girl who was walking over to a chair with a white towel on it.

"Your not good enough yet." She said. She suddenly noticed the visitors as they walked over. Scared. "What's this?" She said motioning towards the group of three. The driver smiled.

"They are guests of Tsunade-sama, Sakura-chan." He got punched in the face and fell onto his back.

"I told you not to call me that." She said, outraged. The three looked at her as if she was going to stick them on a spit over a raging fire. The driver sat up, holding his bleeding nose.

"Could you please take them to Tsunade-sama." He said before fainting. She sighed and then looked at them.

"Well your a miserable bunch." She hung the towel over her shoulders and started walking towards a far door. "Come on you lot I haven't got all day." They followed her obediently.

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"Tsunade-sama, you have some guests." Sakura said as she opened the door and walking into a clean office.

"Show them in." She said. The three entered and Sasuke quickly took note of his surroundings: a waxed desk, file cabinets, lights, fan, heater and a lady looking quite young but had a glint in her eye that said shed lived longer then she appeared to have.

Naruto entered with Hinata close behind. They left their bags outside and entered. Sakura closed the simple wooden door behind them.

"So you are Uchiha and Uzumaki huh?" Tsunade waved for the two of them to sit down in the seats in front of the desk. She then eyed Hinata who held her gaze down. Shaking slightly. "And who is this? I thought there were only going to be two of you." Sasuke was the first to explain, knowing Naruto would immediately jump to begging.

"She's a friend we met on the plane. She forgot to get arrange a cab and obviously didn't know anyone there so we decided to take her along rather then leave her all alone." He hoped that his would be good enough to persuade Tsunade.

"So you think I can provide her with a ride so that she can go to where she needs to?" Sasuke nodded. "Really." She leaned back in her chair and reached her hand over to pick up a fountain pen. She held it up and looked at it lazily. Suddenly, she threw the pen straight at Hinata. It missed and stuck half-way into the brick wall behind her. Sasuke's eye twitched as he and Naruto looked at it.

"How is that even possible?" He asked no one in particular. He then noticed Hinata's little yellow hat break into two equal pieces and fall down to her side. Hinata had a look of fear but held her eyes closed.

"Sakura." Tsunade ordered.

"Eh?" Naruto grunted as he saw Sakura walk over to Hinata.

"Sorry." She grabbed Hinata's hair and pushed her towards the desk.

"Hey." Naruto asked. Tsunade ignored him. _'You fool.'_ Sasuke thought. If they provoked a fight against these two they would be at an extreme disadvantage. Especially after witnessing their monstrous strength. He new that with the both of them they could probably hold one down for a minute or two at the most. Against both was certain death.

"Open your eyes." Tsunade ordered when Hinata was forced onto the desk. She held her eyes closed. Tsunade sighed. "If you don't then she will." She said pointing to Sakura. She still held her eyes closed and let out small yelps of pain. "Sakura."

Sakura reached over with her free hand and placed her thumb and index finger on Hinata's eye lids before slowly pealing them open. She tried to resist, lord knows she tried, but her pretty average strength paled in comparison compared to Sakura's. Her lavender eyes were revealed. Tsunade smirked.

"A Hyuga huh? You could be a nice little bargaining chip." She then looked Hinata over from head to toe. "A bit scruffy though, a a pretty bad hair cut." Naruto fell silent, trying to digest the information about who this really was. Sasuke snapped to attention and tried to formulate a plan, but he had nothing that he could use to give his new-found friend freedom.

"I'll take you on." Tsunade and Sakura looked at Sasuke who had once again acted before Naruto.

"You'll what?"

"I'll take you on in a one-on-one fight." He new Naruto was a good fighter and didn't give up even if both his legs and an arm were dislocated and broken, he had proof, but Sasuke knew that he was faster than Naruto and would avoid the serious injuries rather than take them head on.

"Do you have a death wish Uchiha? Trying to bargain with me." Sasuke smirked.

"She's in pretty bad condition, probably running from something, her hair should be a sign of that, and how she kept trying to hide who she was. I'll fight you to win her freedom in exchange for work." Tsunade smiled.

"An interesting offer Uchiha." She said looking Hinata over again to confirm what he said. She waved her hand. "Fine, but you'll be fighting Sakura here instead of me. This should make it more interesting since she's weaker than me and a good fight in the arena always earns a good amount of money from the viewers." Sasuke looked confused.

"Arena, viewers?"

"Yes, if you win then you and stupid here." She waved to Naruto. "can enter the yearly tournament for a cash prize and her freedom. "Winning right now will only delay using her as a bargaining chip. You fight tomorrow at 7 P.M.. Until then you can all stay in the three person room down the hallway."

"See you then." Sasuke said before Sakura, who was still pulling Hinata along by her hair, passed him. As she passed, they both glared into the others eyes. Onyx into emerald, emerald into onyx.

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So what did you think? I wrote this in a day but it's longer than last time and I may update tomorrow as well.

I think maybe I added these characters too early but they were necessary (Look, I just type while I think, no idea what I'm going to end up with.) but well read & review! =]

Next chapter:

**Chapter 3: Knocking on Death's door**


	3. Knocking on Death's Door

OK. I hope you all liked the last chapter. Now a couple of notes.

The nuts joke was basically the lie the millionaire tried to use when talking to Monica in Friends but I changed it slightly.

In case anyone asks, I've based the characters all from different times. Sasuke is supposed to be more like he was in Part 1 because that's just more fun to write with (Though the sadist idea does appeal.). Naruto is supposed to be thicker than usual but a little less vocal. I'm gunning for the shy version of Hinata since, for now, that works and it leaves room for development in the future. Sakura is just going to be more like Tsunade, so violent and such, but with a lack of being social so I'm going to see how that works.

About the continent thing, that's just to make the world larger so that I can throw in anything if I need to.

Now, to the reviewers.

Angelic101: OK, ok, hold your horses. Your not going to die of suspense (...yet.). I'm glad you like how I'm doing thinks with the scenery and a couple of convos. Thanks =].

Horrificried: First off, I like the name. I'm glad you like the story so far. I plan on keeping the suspense for most of the story but I may dumb it down just to go along with some parts. Though I can tell you, this story isn't going to be short.

Chappie time :)

**Chapter 3: Knocking on Death's Door**

Sasuke's POV

I heard the cheering of the crowd. The door opened in front of me and I opened my eyes to see the arena.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." The spokesperson looked ridiculous. His dark glasses and combed back hair wasn't going to fall me. It was the driver. I'll have to ask him for his name later, calling him driver just seems pretty crap.

"We have a guest here today who dared challenge one of our champions, Sakura, to a one-on-one fight. Will he win and earn his own right to enter the tournament or die a bloody death? We-" _'This guy is so annoying. I wonder what they did with Naruto, saying he was going to fix the match in the middle of everybody. They probably killed him.'_ "now for the challenger, Sasuke!"

_Flashback_

Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata entered the room. It was simple; white walls, three beds, a light and a bathroom. They put all put their cases and bags into the room.

"You will stay here until tomorrow. You may roam around the practice arena and here but if you dare leave the building or go anywhere else then you get ten minutes with me." Naruto looked at her with a perverted grin plastered on his face.

"Though doesn't ten minutes seem a bit short? You must-" Sasuke and Sakura punched Naruto in the face, sending him across the room into a wall.

"If you don't watch what you say dobe then someone will kill you." Sasuke warned.

"That's not what I meant!" Sakura said. After a couple of minutes, Naruto didn't respond. He fell onto the floor, his face bruised and drooling slightly.

"N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata went over to see if he was still alive.

"Hmph! Well I leave you lot her." Sakura turned to leave.

"You know you two would make a good couple." Naurto said still face down. Sakura stopped. She lifted her hand to her face, feeling embarrassed. Sasuke noticed this and looked at her.

"You blushing?" He asked.

"I..." Sakura lifted her hand and punched Sasuke in the gut. "am not!" Sasuke lay against the wall, coughing to try and breath again. She looked down at him, face filled with rage. "We'll finish this tomorrow." After her little outburst, she left.

"Hey teme, she would be so hot if she didn't have anger problems." Sasuke looked at the door and thought for a moment.

"Maybe."

"Um, um N-Naruto-kun a-are you O-OK?" Hinata's face was red. There was no other way to put it. Naruto looked at her and sat up. He put his hand on Hinata's forehead.

"You alright Hinata? You look like you may have caught a cold." Hinata blushed even more before losing it. She shook her head wildly and then flung her arms out. She hit Naruto forcing his head upwards.

"N-Naruto-kun." She asked as she and Sasuke looked on. His eyes rolled back and he fell on the floor, unconcious.

"Great, now we can have some peace and quiet." Sasuke said as Hinata looked Naruto over, worried, to see if he was alright. Sasuke stood up. Hinata turned to look at him as he headed for the door. "I'm going to get some practice. I'll leave _you_ two alone"

"Ah, w-wait S-" Sasuke closed the door before she could finish. He wanted to dig up the dirt on Sakura so that he would have a chance. As he neared the end of the dimly-lit corridor, he heard groans of pain, grunts, curses and saw a pig fly over and go through an open door.

"Wow, pigs can fly." As Sasuke reached the end of the corridor and entered the practice arena he saw everybody smashed against walls and knocked out. In the middle stood Sakura who hadn't even broken a sweat. Yet, she seemed annoyed and flustered. "This how you deal with things?" Sakura looked at him, changing her expression back to that of anger. She put her hands on her hip and spoke.

"Maybe, what's it got to do with you?" Sasuke smirked.

"I've been like Naruto's mentor in life since we were in kinder-garden. I know when someone's got a problem." Sakura's eye twitched.

"'Got a problem.'?" She knelled slightly. "I'll give you a problem." She dashed over to Sasuke about to punch. Hurriedly, Sasuke jumped to the side and moved away.

'If I let her get too close then she'll kill me. I need to figure out how to get about her punches.' Sakura moved her arms close to protect her body. 'Boxing?' She leapt towards him. In a second she was a foot away from him. 'She's fast.' She swung her arm at his face. Sasuke X-blocked and his arms hit his face before he skid back a few feet. He kept his eyes open. He couldn't let her out of his sight. He saw her swing her other arm low to get his unprotected gut. He released his block and jumped to the side.

'His reactions are fast and he keeps an eye on everything. Clever.' Sakura swung her arm low to his gut. 'but I've had more experience.' He jumped to the side. 'What?' He was about to bring his fist thundering down onto her back. 'Concentrate girl.' She turned slightly and did an uppercut. It caught Sasuke in the chin and he fell backwards. She was about to punch him when she saw a smile on his face. 'What?' She lost her concentration and Sasuke bent down and thrust a leg upwards. She blocked but was still thrown off the ground. She kept her sights on Sasuke as he ran and jumped under her. He swung his arm on one side and his leg the other. 'I don't think so.' She blocked the double-sided assault with her arms.

"Your good." Sasuke then thrust his free arm into her back. She gaged forwards. She then looked around to see his face calm. She released his leg and brought her fist down into Sasuke's gut. They both fell to the floor, side by side, exhausted and panting.

"You seem to have calmed down." Sakura looked up at Sasuke as he got up and started to walk away. She kept staring at his back as he put his hands in his pockets and he walked into the corridor.

"See something you like?" Sakura looked to see Tsunade standing in a doorway with a small smile on her face.

"N-no, not at all." Tsunade chuckled.

"I've never heard you stutter before. It's cute." Tsunade flicked her gaze towards Sakura.

"What?!" She said a blush forming on her face. Tsunade chuckled.

"Don't let it get in the way of any of your fights and it'll be OK, but try not to stay infatuated. Come now Sakura, you need to get yourself cleaned up."

------------------------------------------

Sasuke walked back to the room. He felt proud of himself for having survived and nearly kept up with her. As he entered the room, saw Naruto running around back and forth trying to revive a fainted Hinata.

"Oh so the acts have changed." Sasuke said as he watched his friend acting crazy, running about like a maniac.

"Help me teme, Hinata's fainted, I think she may have caught something." Sasuke walked over and looked at her.

"Yeah, she's caught something alright." Naruto knelt and held onto Sasuke's t-shirt.

"Tell me teme, I want to help." Sasuke looked down at Naruto with a menacing look in his eye. He smirked

"Call me your lord." Naruto looked up at him.

"Please tell me lord." Sasuke's smile turned into an insane grin.

"Bow down to me." Naruto bowed up and down at Sasuke's feet.

"Tell me lord Sasuke-sama." Sasuke's grin widened even more. He was enjoying this. He bent down to whisper into her ear."

"OK. She has..." Naruto nodded.

"Yes, yes."

"Naruto phobia." Naruto fell silent as Sasuke stood up straight and looked down at him. Finally he said.

"Well how the hell do you cure that?!" Sasuke burst out laughing at Naruto's reaction.

"Maybe I'll tell you someday dobe, but not today. She'll be fine, she's just tired."

"Oh right."

_Flashback_

The presenter waved his left arm over to me and I walked into the light. I winced. Being in that dark room wasn't good for me. I looked about. I was in a sort of circular cage with a gate on one side. I hear people shouting their bets at the bookies, and I think hear some girls and boys screaming like fans. F***ing fans. I looked into the crowd and saw Naruto chained to a seat looking like a mummy.

"Halloween's not for another six months." Naruto looked over at me and shouted.

"You think I'm wearing this because I want to?!" I smirked and contionued looking about. I saw Hinata sitting next to Naruto looking very jumpy as she heard everybody shouting and screaming for blood about her, and I saw Sakura on the other side of the cage. She was tightening her gloves and she looks pissed.

_'She is going to kill me.'_

"Begin!" I heard a bell sound and cheering start. I looked at Sakura. Then she vainshed. I scanned with my eyes, left, right, down. My eyes widened as I saw a shadow appear over my. I looked up and saw her, fist about to rain down judgement. I was stunned. She punched my head and I fell face first into the ground. I felt my nose bleeding but I couldn't hold it. I rolled to the side and avoided another punch that crushed the ground and sent cracks across the stadium.

"There is Sakura's monsterous strength! The newcommer is lucky he escaped with a broken nose!" That guy was so annoying. No, I must concentrate. I rolled to the end of the stadium and got up. I lifted my arms to defend me. She got up slowly and then vanished again. _'How does she do that?'._I had no time to think as she appeared in front of me about to punch. I lifted my arm and bashed her hand away towards the fence. I heard something break and screams of horror and and cheers and chants of 'Kill'. I didn't look and used my other arm to try hitting for her gut. She jumped back and punched again. I ducked and heard something break once again. I kicked at her legs. She jumped. I tried to kick her into the air, she dodged to the side. I leapt at her and she appeared behind me, punching my back and sending me into the floor. Feeling dazed, I lifted my head and coughed blood. _'That can't be good.'_ I looked up to see her foot and then looked even further up to see a silhouette of her, lights blinding me. Then I saw something. It came closer and I couldn't figure out what it was. Then it hit me and I was sent flying into the fence. My neck did not feel good.

"Kicking her opponent when he's down! Sakura is showing no mercy to today's opponent! You have to wonder what he did to her to piss her off." Laughter came from the crowd. I hung my head as I sat against the fence. My eyes closed and I heard Naruto shouting at me to get up. Then I remembered. "10, 9, 8," What I said to Naruto yesterday.

_Flashback_

Sasuke was flung against the wall in the corridor outside the small room.

"What do you think your doing teme?!" Naruto held Sasuke against the wall. "She'll fucking kill you!" Sasuke looked at Naruto.

"I figured out how she fights." Naruto bashed Sasuke against the wall again.

"Your still going to die! I don't want to lose the only friend I have had in a long time!" Sasuke looked down at Naruto as he started to cry slightly. Tears rolling down his face. He sighed.

"I'm not going to die Naruto. I have a plan." Naruto looked up at him.

"What are you going to do?" Sasuke smirked.

"That's a secret." Naruto blinked twice and then dropped Sasuke to the floor, before standing tall with a great grin on his face.

"I've got a plan!" He then ran down the corridor into the training arena. "Hey everybody, I'm going to fix the match so that my friend wins tomorrow! Whose got a dart gun?" Sasuke heard screams of pain and the throwing of spanners and tools as he saw the shadow of Naruto being thrown about.

"Hn. Dobe."

_Flashback_

"4," _'That's right.'_ "3," _'My plan. "_2," _Time to move. _"1- He's up! He's up ladies and gentlemen! Let's get back to the fight." I looked at Sakura.

"Start getting serious." She looked surprised. "I'm not holding back any more." Then she looked pissed and started to run at me. I bent low and ran at her. When she was about the throw a punch I ducked and tried to kick her into the air again. I missed as she hopped to the side, but I was in the air and I brought my foot down. She blocked with both her hands.

"Is that it?" She said. Then she looked down to see me holding her ankles. I pulled and she was tripped over. I fell on top of her.

"Amazing, this is the first time someone has tripped Sakura in over three years! Gamblers, you may want to replace your bets, this fight is far from over!" I rolled off of her and looked at her. She seemed like she hit her head against the floor, but other than that she was fine. She got up and looked at me. There was an entirely different glint in her eyes.

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From up in a box, Tsunade smirked.

"She's more energetic than usual. Shizune!" A young woman with short black hair came in.

"Yes Tsunade-sama?"

"Tell Savage to change the arena. I want this to be fun."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama." The woman ran out the door and around to arena seats until she reached the presenter. The smile on Tsunade's face widened.

"Now have fun Sakura. We may have found someone fitting for my little plan." She felt like letting out a maniacal laugh, but decided against it as she stroked her pet pig.

-----------------------------------

"Ladies and gentlemen, I've just heard word from the boss that we are raising the level of this fight." I looked up at the presenter at the same time that Sakura did. He held up a remote control with a big red button. Seriously, why is it always a red button, it's so clich`e, black or white could do fine to represent the 'button of death'. He pressed it and I felt the floor moved. I bent down, unsure of what was going on as I heard the screams from about. "We are raising to the platform by one hundred metres!" I felt the platform stop and looked about. Sakura was being careful to keep her footing – and I could see why. There was no longer a fence around the arena. I looked over the edge and saw to drop down. I didn't feel like having my skeleton fly out of me as I hit the floor.

"Due to professional criticism, we have removed the swinging pendulums of death and the poison darts." I heard the crowd groan. "I know, I know, I miss them too. However, to make up for them we have included a spinning and pivoting feature to it!" The crowd cheered. They must really be a bunch of sadists. "Yes you boy, ask away!" The presenter shouted.

"Is there any way for them to get down?" The presenter held his smile.

"Of course there is! There is the one and only falling! HAHAHA!" The crowd laughed and screamed. "Now let round 2, commence." The commenter pressed a button.

I felt the floor start to slowly move about, picking up speed as it went. I then saw Sakura go higher.

"Eh?" I looked behind me to see the floor and me sliding down. "Whoa." I grabed onto the edge of the spinning disk and flew about. The crowd laughed.

"Careful there newbie, otherwise you will fall!" One shout.

I tried to pull myself up but I found it harder and harder with each passing second. I then kicked my legs backwards and flipped over. The wind created by the spinning repeling by decent. I fought back and landed on the disk. I stood opposite Sakura. And we stood face to face as the disk wobbled wildly. Now the fight would begin.

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So what did you think? I was going to put the final fight in here but I didn't want to rush it. Sorry for the flashbacks but I think they just worked here so I put them in.

Thanks for all the reviews and support I'm getting. Tune in next time for:

**Chapter 4: How to climb.**


	4. Learning to Climb

OK, reviews first.

Angelic101: I don't want a broken nose. I'm glad you liked it but your questions will have to be answered through reading the chapter. I may have some more fights in store but I'm going with what I've got right now.

**Chapter 4: How to Climb**

Sasuke and Sakura stared each other down. The disc kept spinning and the wobbling made it difficult for Sasuke to keep his balance as he constantly had to shift his position. Sakura, however, barely moved as the disc started spinning faster and it wobbled about insanely.

"Let the battle commence!" The presenter hollered into his microphone as Sakura hopped slightly as if she was using a jump rope. Sasuke then felt her knee crush his jaw before he fell and tumbled over to the side again.

"How bloody fast is this thing?" He mumbled as he latched onto the edge again, holding desperately with one hand. Trying to reach out to the edge with his other hand, he felt the wind and the pressure of the pull on his entire body. He felt as if the very flesh on his face was being stripped down to his bone. He continued to reach out for the disc. He wasted no time grasping it and pulling himself towards it. This time it was harder. He tried to fling himself on again, but he could not bring his legs to move. He looked up to see Sakura hopping every now and then near the centre of the disc.

'She's not going to let me up.' He thought as he heard a sound of gears moving. He saw Sakura look down and then felt the disc jag to the side slightly.

"Ladies and gents, seeing as how rooster head refuses to let go and end up like a tomato thrown against a wall and Sakura is just hopping on the spot, we have decided to UNLEASH HELL!" All Sasuke could think was: 'What the fu-?' before he saw various ropes fall from the ceiling and metal bars start to jut out of the walls, one by one as they went higher. He then felt the disc move again and start sliding off it's lone supporting pillar. Sasuke's eyes widened in shock as he lost his grip and started to fall. The spinning disc heading for his neck. Naruto and Hinata looked up and let out gasps of surprise and Naruto tried to free himself from his bonds. Sasuke saw ropes fall down near him and reached out to grab one. He latched on and felt it burn his hand as he tightened his grip. The floor was getting very close.

"Shit."

_Flashback_

Sasuke fell on the floor.

"Argh!" He said as he hit his fist against the floor.

"Why can't you be like your brother." Fugaku sighed as he looked at Sasuke on the floor and Itachi landing gracefully next to him. "How can you call yourself an Uchiha and constantly fail even a simple training session."

"He nearly reached the top this time." Itachi said as he smiled. Fugaku stared at Itachi.

"'Success' and 'nearly' are two vastly different things in the world. " Fugaku said as he started walking off. "If he can't even complete _that_ small gymnastics course, then I doubt he will survive in the real world." Fugaku stood by the door he had just opened and said without turning around: "It's martial arts tomorrow and the tournaments are coming soon. If Sasuke fails then he will be sent to continent 12 to toughen up." Sasuke looked at his father in disbelief as the man closed the door behind him. Sasuke looked at the floor and started to hear Itachi walk off.

"Nii-san, will you train with me?" Sasuke looked up as Itachi stopped.

"Sasuke." Itachi waved his hand slightly showing he wanted Sasuke to run up to him. Sasuke ran up to him and was hit lightly in the forehead by two of Itachi's fingers.

"Maybe some other time. I have work I need to get done." Itachi walked over to the door and left the room. Sasuke sat still for a few minutes, alone. He looked up at the various ropes, bars, platforms and hoops that made it possible to get about the confusing twisted frame. Sasuke stood up and walked over to the pole that was the start of the course. He started to pull himself up the pole.

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A bored Itachi walked into the room with the gymnastic frame and looked about. His mother was calling for them both to come and eat breakfast and Sasuke was nowhere to be found. Itachi looked about the frame and then noticed something hanging on the rope to the final platform. Cautiously, but swiftly, Itachi quietly climbed up the various ropes and swung about the bars until he reached the final rope. The rope stood about twenty meters off the ground and was only connected to the platform and a single pole. Itachi looked closely to see a sleeping Sasuke hanging upside down with his ankle caught in the rope. Itachi smirked. As he went to untie Sasuke, he heard the door open and looked down to see Fugaku in the doorway. The man's face was indifferent as usual, but as he looked up and saw the two brothers hanging from the rope, he let out a grunt in surprise. He regained his composure.

"Breakfast is ready. If your late you'll have to deal with your mother." After Fugaku walked out, Sasuke woke up and saw his brother helping him out of the mess he was in.

"What time is it?" He said lazily. Itachi looked at him.

"It's time for breakfast. Now lets get you out of this mess." From then on, Sasuke never knew his father had seen his progress.

_Flashback_

Sasuke swung sideways as he held onto the rope and avoided the disc as it fell to the floor creating a horrible, resounding sound of a bell. He hung loosely on the rope for a couple of minutes. His hand was frayed and he felt pain course through it as he held onto the rope. He looked up weakly to see Sakura standing on a pole, unharmed, not too far above. Sasuke looked down again to see the floor less then fifty meters away.

"That's overkill you bastard!" Sasuke turned to look at the bandaged Naruto shout up at the presenter. The presenter looked down at Naruto with a look of anger.

"You hear what he said people?!" The man shouted into his microphone. The crowd screamed yes and booed at Naruto. "Did you like it?!" The crowd booed again. "What did he mean to say?!" The crowd screamed:

"We want more! We want more!" and cheered.

"Hn." Sasuke looked up again and started to climb up the rope. With each pull he felt pain. As he reached the nearest pole. He hung his arms over it and panted heavily. He looked up slightly and saw Sakura's foot incoming. 'Not this again.' He got kicked in the face and blood spilled from his mouth. As he was falling backwards, his hands headed for the pole he was leaning over, he clasped onto them and flipped up behind Sakura. She jumped and grabbed a hanging rope. Sasuke landed on the pole and wiped the blood from his mouth. They stared each other down.

Sasuke jumped forwards. He readied a punch aimed at Sakura's head. She side stepped and hit him in the gut. He felt the pain and the feeling of being sent flying but he didn't move. His hand had instinctively latched itself around Sakura's arm. He swiped his foot, trying to hit her legs. She hopped in place. Sasuke's foot flew under them and he fell backwards. Sakura was about to fall with him but she latched her legs around the pole. She tried frantically to get his hand off her arm. He smirked and, while hanging, tugged at her arm. She lost her grip and started to fall with him. He grabbed onto a rope right next to him and swung towards the cage wall. He crashed into the fence. It shook and the crowd cheered and tried to reach out to him and the hanging Sakura. He pushed away from the cage with his feet and swung upwards. He let go of Sakura when they were above a set of poles. He had to beat her, but he didn't want to kill her. As he was about to drop her, she grabbed onto the rope below him and started to climb upwards. He whipped the rope as much as he could. This caused Sakura to pause and keep her hold on the rope every now and then. Sakura was about to reach Sasuke when he said to himself:

"Let's test something." Sasuke let go of the rope and was about to fall. Timed seemed to slow. Sakura looked down in disbelief as he fell. He kept his smirk on his face the entire time as he looked back into her eyes.

'No.' She thought.

_Flashback_

"Tou-san, Kaa-san." A little, four year old Sakura ran after her parents as they headed down the walkway into the plane. Her father reached down to grab her hand.

'What did his face look like?' Sakura thought as she looked at the memory. At her father laughing.

"Come on Sakura, we don't want to miss our flight." Her mother said as she grabbed Sakura's other hand.

'What was mother like?' She saw her younger self skipping, smiling happily between her parents whose faces and personalities which felt alien to her. She held her head. It hurt. The memory hurt. 'Don't go on. Don't go on the plane.'

She saw them enter the plane. She felt pulled along as the memory continued. She opened her eyes to see herself and her parents sitting down watching a film. Then she blinked and saw herself sleeping in her chair, leaning on her mother's arm. She blinked again, and saw herself leaving her seat and heading for the toilet. As soon as the door closed, the announcement was made. The last announcement that they would ever hear. Lights turned on, people scattered and clambered wildly as they tried to get their life jackets and find their loved ones. She saw her mother cry out for her and saw the toilet door shake as the little Sakura struggled to open the door. Her father kicked and rushed the door repeatedly. She saw the door finally open and the cracks appear in the plane all around. The frame broke and explosions were seen as bombs were set off. She saw herself look at her parents as they looked back at while falling.

'What did they say? What did they say? What did...' Sakura broke down into tears and kept asking herself. She held her face in her hands.

_Flashback_

She looked at Sasuke falling and heard him say:

"Make your own choices." He said as he fell towards a pole. Sakura's eyes opened and she dropped down to try and reach out to stop him from dying. He smirked.

'She fell for it.' He spun in the air and landed on the pole with his feet before jetting himself up into the air aimed at her. Her eyes widened. She couldn't change her grasp into a fist and she felt him grab her arm, pull her close and hit her in the gut. She coughed out of pain and turned round to kick him down. He grabbed her leg.

"Sometimes I wish you were wearing a skirt." He said. Her face turned red and she beat him down again. They were reaching the ground and finally after a final blow they hit the ground. Sakura landed onto Sasuke and they had their faces close. Sakura was blushing. She had never been so close to someone her age, she always beat them away. "Hmph." Sasuke smirked before he gave her a quick kiss on the lips. She blushed even further and they heard people in the crowd go 'aww' and 'ou' and there were probably others who were drooling and romanticising or being perverted. Sakura closed her eyes.

"BAKA!" She said as she punched his head into the ground.

----------------------------------------------------

Sasuke, Naruto and Hinata all stood in Tsunade's office. Sasuke's head was covered in bandages, leaving only his right eye and turfs of his hair visible. Naruto was covered from head to toe in bandages from his little beating the day before. Hinata wasn't covered in any bandages, but she still had her hair in bad shape and was constantly figiting. Tsunade had a smile on her face as she sat in her chair. Sakura stood next to the chair but kept her eyes focused on Hinata. She wasn't going to be able to make a run for it.

"You brought in a lot of money." Tsunade said towards Sasuke. "but you still lost the fight. A deal is a deal, I do with away with her in any way I wish." Naruto balled is hands into fists and clenched his teeth. He slammed down on the table.

"You think you can just use people like that! Who the fuck do you think you are?!" He screamed at Tsunade. She just sat there and raised her hand towards his head.

"I think I am the boss around here." She flicked Naruto in the head and, with a crash, he flew through the door.

"Teme." He said back as he lay on the floor. Tsunade took no heed of this. Sasuke and Hinata moved their sight from Naruto to Tsunade.

"Now here's what I propose:" Sasuke looked at her, confused. "I won't sell Hinata off yet since you brought in a lot of money, but she will have to work here until I've decided what to do." Naruto looked up from the floor at her. In a flash he was looking over the edge of the deck.

"...So, you won't sell out our friend?" Tsunade nodded. Naruto got on the floor and started bowing excessively. "Thank you, thank you, thank you very much." Sasuke kicked Naruto over and he hit his head into the floor. "What was that for teme?!"

"You were being pathetic." Sasuke said lazily.

"Why you, I'm gon-"

"Ahem." Naruto was cut off and they all looked at Tsunade. She looked back at them. "I've decided what to do with you all." She pointed at Sasuke. "You will train the fight better and enter the tournament. Having someone who could bring Sakura to the ground is always interesting." Sakura looked down at this.

"Sure. As long as there's no 'unleash hell' I think I'll live." Tsunade pointed to Hinata.

"You will work as a waitress. Not only will this hurt your pride, but you'll bring in some more money from the café but you'll attract customers."

"O-OK." Hinata said looking at the floor and pushing her fingers together.

"That also means you will were the standard uniform as well." Tsunade smirked.

"Eh?!" Hinata stepped back slightly. "W-what kind o-of c-café is it?" Tsunade blinked.

"Various kinds really. Sometimes there's even cosplaying." Naruto and Sasuke looked up at the ceiling, Naruto drooling slightly, as they thought of Hinata dress up in various costumes.

"Perverts." Sakura said under her breath.

"Finally you." She said pointing at Naruto. She paused for a second. "I can't think of anything for you to do." She sighed.

"So I don't have to work?" He said, hope in his eyes. Tsunade opened her eyes and bore a sly epression.

"Oh no, you'll work, and it just so happens I've got just the right job prepared and ready."

----------------------------------------------

"WHAT?!" Naruto screamed as he stood, dressed up like a janitor with a bucket in one hand and a mop in the other.

"Your a janitor, Naruto. Get used to it." Sasuke stood there wearing only a simple t-shirt and gym shorts.

"But your job is so much more exciting teme." He said crying rivers.

"Well at least we can refill your energy tank." Sasuke said as he leaned against a wall with his arms crossed.

"How?" Naruto spoke stupidly. Sasuke pointed over to the door the Hinata had just come through.

"I-it's m-maid week." She said shyly as she wore a classic maid outfit. Naruto suddenly had a huge smile as he did a thumbs up.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." Sasuke slapped him round the back of the head.

"Let's get to work. If we're late then I don't know what's going to happen." Naruto just sat there rubbing the back of his head. After he got up and they all exited the room, they saw the driver.

"You lot ready to climb in the ranks?" He said. He got no enthusiastic reply. "Yeah, well everyone's like that to begin with, but after a couple of days you get used to working here." He began to walk off down the corridor. They all followed him and Sasuke asked:

"So, what do you do here?" The man didn't turn to look at him.

"I do all the odd jobs, driving, presenting, training, cleaning, butler services, play the blues. Hell, sometimes I even have to teach people how to polka."

'Polka?' Sasuke's face fell as he thought of the presenter with black glasses and combed hair in a money suit teaching people how to dance ridiculously.

"I didn't catch your name last time." The man laughed.

"Even when I was talking through the intercom?" He laughed as Sasuke nodded. "It's Savage, Jim Savage. Now, this is where you lot are going to work..." Savage paused at a door and the three felt as if judgement day had arrived.

--------------------------------------------------

...OK, that was short. I was going to make the arena have saws, flying knives and weapons of death but I thought I'd end up killing someone. This came out a little later than usual because I've had some things to sort out. Now let's see, Harry Potter is out next week but Transformers and Ice Age were awesome / brilliant. Well, see you next time with:

**Chapter 5: Tunes and Timing**


	5. Tunes and Tuning

Ok, this is a late update. Reason being, I was lazy, ran out of steam, reading comics and working on something else. This chapters going to be a bit of a background thing and rolling a little with the plot.

**Chapter 5: Tunes and Timing**

It had been a month since they started working there. To Naruto, it only seemed like yesterday.

_Flashback_

"Now this is where your going to work." Savage opened the door and the three felt as if judgement day had arrived for them. Through the door, they saw a kitchen. People were busily running about and shouting orders. Waiters and waitresses were going in and out almost mechanically. Savage turned to Hinata.

"You'll be working as a waitress here for six days a week. Lose the stutter and work hard." He patted her on the back and pushed her gently into the kitchen. "Lads we've got a new worker, treat her nice and report any issues."

"Yes sir." They chorused. Hinata started to fidget slightly looking from one corner to another and from person to person. She turned to look at Savage with a look of nervousness.

"Don't worry love. Give it a day or two and you'll get along with everybody here." He around and before he turned the door he stuck his head into the kitchen. "Careful though, perverts and molesters try to swarm here like anything."

"EH?!" She turned to look at him with blood rushing to her face, but he had closed the door.

"This way you two." He said as he led them towards and elevator. He pushed the button and they headed down a level. As the door opened he walked out and down the corridor. "You'll be working here, Sasuke." He said as he opened a door. A stuffy cloud of the smell of sweat hit the trio head on causing Sasuke's hair to fly backwards with his eyes widening and Naruto flying into a wall. The 'breeze' had come from a large room with various fighting rings and shouting throughout it. "You'll be training here. You'll have to use a different ring each day but sooner or later it's bound to sink in." Sasuke looked at Savage.

"Why?"

"Since you've shown that you have a vast amount of potential you'll be doing all of the physical training from six in the mourning to seven at night. You get a one hour break for lunch at noon." Sasuke's face fell and his eye twitched.

"Am I going to die?"

"Probably." Sasuke's head snapped towards Savage. "There are seven different trainers for swimming, gymnastics, martial arts, boxing, running, cycling, weights and so on. You'll spend one day with each trainer every week."

"What's so on for?"

"Iron man training." Savage said with a smile. Sasuke jumped slightly before backing away slightly.

"I bet she even has a name for this." Savage turned to Sasuke.

"You a psychic?" He asked.

"This the newbie." A large muscular man came up to the trio. He looked Sasuke over.

"Yes, Greg. He's got the 'special' set of training." A large grin grew on the man's face.

"Very well." He put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder and started to pull at his arms and see how big his muscles are. "He's a little limp, but a couple of weeks with me and the boys and we'll make him something that can stop a bullet with his fist."

"I'll leave him to you then." The man pulled Sasuke in and put his arm around Sasuke's shoulders.

"Welcome to your own hell my friend." He said sweeping his other hand across the scenery.

"Bye bye." Savage closed the door before Sasuke could absorb the position he was in. He turned to Naruto who was rubbing his head. "Your turn." He said before leading Naruto back to the elevator. He called the elevator and they went two floors up. They left the elevator and walked straight down the well-lit corridor with a sparkling marble floor. As they got closer to they end, Naruto was sure he could hear music playing. Savage turned the corner and opened a door. It was a cupboard with various cleaning equipments, buckets and mops.

"You'll be working behind the scenes. Your job is to clean everything on this floor and maintain all of the garbage units and bathrooms." Savage reached in and clasped an old wooden mop and a bucket on wheels. He handed them to Naruto. "You won't need anything more than what's in this cupboard." Naruto got a sly grin on his face.

"So I've got the easiest job, this shouldn't be too hard." Savage let out a little laugh. "What's so funny Savvy?" Naruto asked.

"I appreciate the nick name but I prefer Savage. It's more of a tough guy thing." Savage managed to calm the rest of his laughter before continuing. "I'll be off now." He started to walk down the corridor towards the elevator. "Oh Naruto."

"Yeah" Naruto called back.

"This building is four blocks large, try not to get lost."

"EH?!" Naruto said as his joy diminished. "Damn that Oba-chan!" Naruto shouted.

-----------------------------------------------

Tsunade snapped her pen. Shizune look at her.

"Anything wrong Tsunade-sama?" Tsunade put the pen down and cleaned her hand with a handkerchief.

"I'm not sure, but for some reason I want to kill the loud one."

_Flashback_

"Sleep." Sasuke droned. He looked much the same as when he started out the training but his muscles had grown slightly and he had started to appreciate sleep and food more and more every time he return to the same room they had been in since they arrived at the building. Naruto laughed.

"Don't forget to eat teme. It's chicken and your ever favourite protein drink." Sasuke flopped onto the bed.

"No more work outs." Sasuke had had to face the boxing today and, while his face was un-fazed and he had won the fight, his chin and stomach had taken the full on power of the hits. Hinata walked into the room. She had grown the most accustomed to her work and had even made a couple of friends out of some of the other waitresses there.

"G-good evening Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun." She smiled sweetly.

"Good evening Hinata-chan, how was today?" Naruto shouted with energy as he jumped up and stood with his hand in the air. For a moment, there was silence. Hinata let out a faint blush but hadn't gone as red as a tomato as usual when Naruto jumped closer to her and acted with energy. "Hey teme, at least say hello!" Naruto said pulling Hinata out of space. She looked at him as he started shouting down at Sasuke's motionless form.

"Yeah, hi." Sasuke just waved his hand as he lay face-down. Naruto looked at him and shouted down at Sasuke again.

"You shouldn't be so rude teme! What would people think." Naruto held his face with his hand. Sasuke turned his head towards Naruto.

"And yet your the one calling me 'teme'. The irony deserves an award." Sasuke turned around on the bed to face the wall. "Besides, your started to sound like my grandma." Naruto stood there silently. Hinata had learnt never to bring up their late families into a conversation. How they kept the pain in was beyond her but she had to admit, it was impressive.

'Knock, knock.' Everyone turned to the door.

"It's Savage, I've got your food." Jim opened the door.

"Good evening Savvy." Naruto said casually. Jim turned to him.

"Remember last time you called me by that name?"

"Huh?" Naruto thought for a moment.

_Flashback_

"Morning Savvy." Savage punched Naruto in the face and sent him flying into, and breaking, the men's lavatory.

_Flashback_

"Oh yeah, you punched me into a toilet."

"Phuhahahaha" Sasuke started laughing as he lay down on the bed.

"What's so funny teme?" Naruto said as he loomed over Sasuke with a grim face.

"E-hem" Jim coughed. "You best eat before the food gets cold. Naruto walked over and sat on a chair. Savage pulled back Hinata's chair for her slightly and she thanked him. Sasuke turned and fell on the floor before rolling over to the table and slumping into a chair. Savage fetched the food on a tray from the cart. Placed on it was a simple plate with a small, roasted chicken, three potatoes, a couple of packets of orange juice and a carton of a protein drink. They all loomed over the food and stared down at it with a sick felling in their guts.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Sasuke said as he looked at the drink.

"That oba-chan sure is stingy when it comes to anything but gambling." Naruto said solemnly. Jim finished placing the plate and drinks onto the table. He then hit Naruto over the head with the metal tray.

"Ita! What was that for Savvy?!" Naruto shouted up and Jim before being hit over the head twice again.

"One: It is rude to speak of your host like that. Two: I warned you about calling me that again." Savage said before he departed the room. "Night, night." He waved as he closed the door behind him. The trio was left in silence.

"We b-best eat. Itadakimasu." Hinata said as she used a knife and fork to cut of a leg from the small chicken. Then, in turn, they all took a bit of the chicken.

"What's this?" Naruto questioned as he pulled out a small angular wish bone. "a wish bone?" He turned to Sasuke. "I bet you don't have enough energy to even hold on long enough before this bone breaks. Sasuke looked at him while chewing some chicken. He swallowed. A grin stretched across his face.

"Fine." He said as he held onto one of the sides of the wish bone. "Make a wish."

"I wish I could get out of her and find a girl." Naruto said.

"Your not supposed to say what your wishing dobe!" Sasuke said.

"Eh? Really?" He looked at the ceiling. "So that's why my wishes didn't come true when I last had a wish bone."

"Let's just get on with it." Sasuke said. He pulled and Naruto bent over the table and stretched his arm, stopping Sasuke from breaking the wish bone.

"Hey, teme, tell me what your wish is first."

"What? No way." He tried to pull again but Naruto stopped him from breaking the wish bone again.

"Fair's fair teme, out with it." Naruto said.

"Urgh, fine if your going to be like that. I want my hellish training to end." He tried to pull again but Naruto smiled and wagged his finger.

"You didn't say 'I wish'."

"Ah, shut up."

"San."

"Ni."

"Iti."

"Rei." They both pulled on the wish bone, a single thought coursing through their minds: 'I want to get out of here and get rocking on the road.' The bone split and small splinters fell as the main part dropped and landing in the middle of the table. All three of them looked at the piece of bone.

"U-um, is that even p-possible?" Hinata asked as she looked at the other two who were, how to say, flabbergasted.

"Ah, let's just eat." Naruto said as he started to furiously scratch his head as he lent backwards. He then wolfed down his food and rushed to the bathroom and then jumped into bed.

"...What just happened?" Sasuke said as his hair flew about the place. Hinata let out a small giggle as she looked at Naruto in the bed with his sleeping hat.

------------------------------------------------

"Please Tsunade-san, we only need a bassist and guitarist to perform." Tsunade put down her pen and looked at the two young men in her office.

"I'm sorry but you should have thought about that before you booked here." One of the men got on his knees.

"Please, we need this chance to land a record deal, my friend worked himself to the bone to get people to come see a no-name band like us." He clasped his hands together above his head and he bowed slightly towards Tsunade.

"It's a busy time of year, everything's booked and I have no one to spare who could play at all, learn a song in a day." She said calmly.

"I can play." Everyone turned their attention towards the doorway. There stood Naruto in his janitor's clothes and with his mop by his side.

"The janitor?" One of the men asked?" Tsunade had a vein throbbing on her forehead.

"How many times do I have to tell you, your don't work on this floor, why do you keep finding your way back?"

"To see if I can hear anything to set against you oba-chan." Naruto said with a smile. 'Snap'. Part of Tsunade's pen broke and a piece flew through the room and pinned Naruto to the wall.

"You want to run that by me again?" She said through clenched teeth. Naruto shook his head. "I thought so."

"Wait a minute." The man got up from his knees and looked at Naruto. "You can play?"

"Yep, but my guitar's in pieces." Naruto said.

"Well that's no bloody good." He turned to Tsunade. "Could we by chance borrow a guitar?"

"For a small fee." She said with a glint in her eye.

"So that's one problem sorted, but we still need a bassist." Naruto looked up from his position on the wall.

"Oh teme's good!" He said.

"Teme?"

-----------------------------------------

Sasuke ducked under a kick and kicked his opponent in the gut. He then turned and embeded his heel into his opponent's face before clasping his leg around his opponent's arm and smashing the opponent's face in with his knee. His opponent fell to the floor, unconscious, with a bleeding, broken nose. Sasuke jumped back and landed on the other side of the ring. Naruto and the two band members looked at the show of force and cruelty with jaws dropped.

"You sure this is the right guy?" One asked as he pointed towards Sasuke.

"Oh yeah, he learns fast and has a good tempo. Oi, teme!" Naruto shouted. 'Is he brave or stupid?' The band members thought.

"What do you want, dobe?" Sasuke said as he wiped the sweat from his brow with a white towel.

"These guys need a couple of players." Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"What they go to you for then? I know I can attract a woman or two but you'd scare them off or get a drink in your face." Sasuke said. Naruto looked at him completely confused.

"Now your just trying to be sexist. I meant a guitarist and bassist." Naruto asked.

"Oh, sure when's the gig." Sasuke said as he started to drink some water.

"Tonight." Sasuke spat out his water.

"You crazy, we'll never learn any of the songs fast enough." Sasuke said.

---------------------------------------------

"We actually went and did it." Sasuke said with his eye twitching. The four of them stood on a small stage in a bar on the ground floor. There were a lot of people gathered. Drunk and anticipating a good show.

"Hey Hinata-chan, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked as he looked over at Hinata serving people near-by. One of the band members drooled slightly as he looked at her.

"Um, dude?" The other said tapping on his friend's shoulder.

"What?" He said turning around to feel a death aura coming from Sasuke with a glint in his eye that said: 'Do and die.'. "Oh, sorry she your friend." Sasuke nodded slowly. The man backed away slightly. "Sorry, it won't happen again."

"It better not." Sasuke said as he plugged the bass he was borrowing into an amplifier and checking the that the sound was right. They all stood on the stage and looked at the masses of people in the bar. The singer checked the microphone was working before he introduced the band.

"Get on with it." A drunk shouted. They all looked at each other and nodded. The drummer held his sticks up and hit them together.

"One, two, three, four!" He hit the drums and Naruto started the guitar-play. The show was on.

-----------------------------------------------

I know you all hate me for the slow update but I've got some stuff going on and it's not going too well. I'll probably, update in a week or so.

**Chapter 6: Moving on**


	6. Chapter 6

Ok, reviews.

Angelic101: Sakura and Sasuke train in different places since Sakura has already set herself near the pinnacle of the fighting in the local tournament. The rest must be revealed as the story goes on since I don't want to give too many spoilers.

Halocreamdevil: Ok, need to add scenery, got it. I'm planning on lowering Sasuke's 'bad-ass level' but not so much. At the beginning of the series Sasuke was always better than Naruto. So even if Naruto wants to help someone, and in this case he'd be dead before anything began, it'd be better to send someone who won't die immediately. Don't try to understand what I just wrote, I don't get it my self.

I know it's been over a month (I think.) but I'll keep my excuses to myself. Basically I've been downright lazy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters from it. I don't own any of the music used in this fanfiction. They all belong to their respective owners. I gain nothing from this fanfiction (except reviews :]). I do, however, own the story that this fanfiction follows and any originally characters. 'Stacked Actors' belongs to Foo Fighters and 'Shout 2000' belongs to Tears for Fears (Though I'm going to use the disturbed cover.).

_**Chapter 6: Moving On**_

The bar was dim-lit, only a few neon lights in pink and yellow gave enough light for the tables between the stage and the bar. The place was brimming with murmurs, laughing and loud shouting. Blue stage lights turned on to reveal the four. The drummer checked he had everything in place and that he had spare sticks in case he broke any. The singer was adjusting the microphone stand and testing the sound. Naruto was tuning the borrowed guitar and Sasuke's eye was twitching. The lights didn't disturb him much as they flashed in his face, but having learnt a song within a day and now standing on a stage in a bar with a lot of drunks and no chicken wire to keep the bottles away just made him feel a little uneasy. He shook it off and checked everything was in order with the fine bass guitar in his hands. He couldn't recognise the make but the wood on the handle was smooth and dark, giving it a proper low sound. He saw Naruto bring out a plectrum.

The crowd turned their divided attention towards the stage as they heard the short sounds of ringing strings and an abrupt drum beat take course.

"Ok people, we're going to cover a song called 'Stacked Actors' we hope you enjoy it." The singer said cheerfully before making his voice soft as the music quietened down slightly.

"Oh mirror mirror

"Your coming in clear

"I'm finally somewhere in between

"I'm impressed what a beautiful chest" The singer was holding onto the microphone stand and leaning forward looking at a beautiful woman in the front row.

"I never meant to make a big scene." The singer sang softly as the music stayed calm.

"Will you resign to the latest design" He leaned to the side to see a trendy set of clothes, adorning an older teen.

"You look so messy when you dress up in dreams

"One more for hire" He leaned to one side.

"Or a wonderful liar " He leaned to the other.

"I think it's time we all should come clean." The music started to become louder and faster with each note and the singer's soft voice followed suit.

"Stacked dead actors

"Stacked to the rafters

"Line up the bastards all I want is the truth

"Hey, hey now, can you fake it?" He leaned back and sung into the mic.

"Can you make it look like we want?

"Hey Hey now can you take it?

"And we cry when they all die blonde." He held the final note as he sung and the music quietened down.

"God bless, what a sensitive mess" He looked towards a table riddled with beer glasses.

"Yeah but things aren't what they seem.

"Your teary wise your famous disguise

"Never knowing who to believe."

"See through

"Yeah but what do you do?

"When your just another ageing drag queen?" The music began to pick up again.

"Stacked dead actors

"Staked to the rafters

"Line up the bastards

"All I want is the truth."

"Hey hey now can you fake it?

"Can you make it look like we want?

"Hey Hey now can you take it?

"And we cry when they all die blonde." He leaned back and held the microphone stand up high. Holding the notes strong and long.

"Stacked dead actors

"Stacked to the rafters

"Line up all the bastards

"And we cry when they all die blonde." The singer paused for a couple of moments as the drums and guitar sped up during a solo. Naruto walking in front leaning backwards slightly to show off the guitar in the light. The singer screamed into singing.

"Hey hey now can you fake it?

"Can you make it look like we want?

"Hey Hey now can you take it?

"And we cry when they all die blonde." They all joined in.

"Stacked dead actors

"Stacked to the rafters

"Line up all the bastards

"All I want is the truth

"Stacked dead actors

"Stacked to the rafters

"Line up the bastards." The music stopped and the singer went solo.

"And we cry when they all die blonde." Then the calm tune repeated itself until the end.

Cheers could be heard from the crowd and the band members waved their hands in the air. Naruto was about to lift the new guitar with it's crisp honey-brown look above his head. Sasuke caught his arm before he did.

"No." He said firmly.

"But I-"

"No" Naruto then treated the guitar nicely and grumbled to himself as they started to head off of the stage. Naruto instantly cheered up as he gave the guitar to Savage and headed over towards the bar with Sasuke and the two band members. The bar had a couple of hanging lights that illuminated the long row that nearly stretched the width of the room. The wall behind it was covered in shelves and alcohols of different kinds. The counter was dark, waxed and well-looked after. The stools were tall and strong. The bartender was big, gruff and had a pointy moustache that stood out black against his tanned skin.

"What'll it be? I'll need an ID if you want alcohol." Naruto stared up at the man, eyes squinting. The man leered back. Naruto stared at him some more. He kept staring back. Naruto lifted his right hand and pointed at the man who looked at it indifferently.

"How much gel do you use to get your moustache to stick up like that?" Sasuke slammed Naruto's head into the counter and the bartender slammed his mighty fist into the back of Naruto's head.

"Sorry about him. I'll take some lemonade." That bartender looked at Sasuke in his indifferent manner.

"We ran out of lemonade a couple of days ago. We should be receiving a new shipment by the end of the week. Anything else you'd like to order?" Sasuke thought for a moment. He wouldn't have minded a good refreshing sour drink. Alas, he would have to try for something else.

"I'll have some juice then."

"We'll have a couple of beers." The two band members showed their Ids confirming their age. The bartender turned his head to look down at Naruto who had just lifted his hand up.

"And for the deceased?" He asked. His voice low.

"Miso soup." Sasuke and the bartender paused and just looked at Naruto.

"He Naruto?" The bartender asked Sasuke. Sasuke nodded. "Good, he gets a special treat on the house." Naruto absorbed all his blood like a sponge and stood up, hands on the counter, with a face of happiness and energy.

"Really?!" He asked.

"Tsunade's orders." He said. Sasuke looked at the barkeeper.

"I don't like how this is going. There's no treat for me is there?" The barkeep shook his head slowly.

"Nah, just him. Give me a minute I'll fix it up, it's my speciality." The barkeep had a glint in his eye.

"Thank Kami-sama." The bartender gave Sasuke his tomato juice and pulled out a bunch of bottles, grey from dust, and boxes with bent nails in them. Naruto never looked more excited. The barkeep pulled out a crowbar from his sleeve and started opening the boxes. Dusty flew and spiders and insects fled. He pulled out the various bottles, and jars and placed a large glass on the counter in front of him. Sasuke and the two looked at the bartender in awe and at his drink in disgust at the same time as he started adding red, green and yellow liquids with grey and black dusts. They marveled at how he made the colour of the glasses content s change again and again until it landed on brown.

"No one's stupid enough to drink that." The drummer said. Then he, Sasuke and the singer turned to look at the giddy Naruto jumping about, eagerly awaiting his drink.

"... He's going to die isn't he?" The drummer asked Sasuke.

"Oh yeah." Finally, the bartender was about to add a drop of the clear liquid. He put on a mask of metal and two very thick gloves. He picked up the petit glass with a pair of extended pliers and carefully pulled the cork loose. People near-by let out whimpers and jumped behind the counter. People ducted under tables and security leaned back against doors. Sasuke and the two looked about dumb-founded but nonetheless, they hid behind the counter. Naruto was still smiling and jumping on his seat. He was the only one, besides an obviously oblivious and drunk man whose lighter wasn't working, that had their head above the counter.

"I can't get the damn." Was all the man muttered as he went unnoticed.

The bartender turned the pliers slightly and a drop of the clear liquid left the side and fell down to the brown liquid. The room tensed. The drop landed. Nothing happened. Then Naruto clasped the glass. He lifted it. It blew up in his face. Naruto's face was black, his clothes drenched in the liquid and the man had his cigarette lit.

"Cheers mate." He said before taking a few puffs.

"What the hell was in that?" Sasuke yelled.

"A few of my own inventions and mixtures with some gun power and the secret ingredient – nitroglycerine." He said proudly.

"Secret? You don't say, no one would ever figure that out." Sasuke's voice was smeared with sarcasm.

"Yes, truly brilliant isn't it." The singer looked at the barkeep over the counter.

"Dude, are you allowed to do that?"

"Of course, I studied chemistry and was in the explosives division in this continent's army before the truce."

"Could this place have anybody more insane." Sasuke muttered to himself.

"You say something?" The bartender said, leaning over towards Sasuke.

"Uh, no" He held his arms up defensively.

"That was cool!" Naruto said. "Could you make another one?" Everyone stopped talking and looked, dead-panned, at Naruto. Some were twitching.

"Hmm." The bartender thought. "Tsunade only told me to serve one. I suppose I could though."

"Hey guys." Sasuke and the singer turned around to see the drummer. "I just talked to the guys who were on next, apparently a couple of them got hit by the" He waved over to the shattered glass that was sprawled across the counter. "you know. We can take their spot and keep Naruto away from the nitro-booze."

"Hey Naruto" Sasuke turned to look at him and then at the glass that was sprawled across the other side of the counter. "Where's the glass?" He asked, forgetting his last question.

"Huh?" Naruto looked down to see that he had no glass in his torso, a miracle, and then looked at his hand. "Ouch." He showed the trio his hand which had blasted glass embedded into the flesh, oozing blood.

"How did you not notice until now?" Sasuke spoke faster than he thought he could.

"Hmm." Naruto thought. "Dunno."

'Wow, he really is stupid." The trio thought.

"Well he can't play then." The singer stated.

"One minute." Naruto said. The trio weren't listening and they turned to each other as Naruto started to pick the glass out of his hand with a tooth pick.

"What are we going to do?" The drummer asked in a hushed voice.

"We can't keep him from ordering it if he's here." Sasuke said.

"Well we can't tell the barkeep to stop giving it to him, that guy's insane!" The singer whispered.

"Hmm, did you want something." The barkeep loomed behind them with his arms crossed. The all straightened stiffly.

"Nothing!" They chorused.

"Hey guys!" Naruto said. They looked at him to see that he had all of the glass out of his hand and that he was patching it out with first aid that the bartender gave him. "I can play one more tune." Sasuke sighed, the singer slapped himself on the forehead and the drummer looked like he was trying to stop himself from puking. The singer ran his fingers through his over-sized pink afro.

"Time to go." They all walked around the room to the stage. Naruto and Sasuke once again took up the instruments that they had left with Savage.

"What song are we doing?" Sasuke asked as he checked the bass and plugged it in.

"'Shout 2000'. Do you know it?" Sasuke shook his head. "Well just go with the flow."

"OK, so then I play this chord." Sasuke turned to see the drummer telling Naruto the chords. Sasuke was relieved that Naruto was a freakishly fast learner. Naruto then walked over to him.

"You know, I wonder where Hinata went." Sasuke paused for a second and then turned to look at Naruto. He was right, where had Hinata gone.

"Hey Savage, where's Hinata?" Savage turned to the stage.

"She got called to head office. Don't worry she's fine, I took her there myself and there's a bunch of bodyguards. If anything happens she'll be OK. I've got to take you after your next song." Sasuke was puzzled, he had the feeling that their stay here was going to be short-lived.

"What for?" Savage shrugged.

"Head office tells me nothing of details." The singer put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"Come on man, one song." Sasuke took his place on the stage, flanking the singer from the opposite side of Naruto.

"OK people!" The singer yelled into the microphone. "We're going to do a covered version of 'Shout 2000'. Let's ROCK!" The music began strong.

"Shout, shout, let it all out, these are the things I can do without, come on.

"I'm talking to you, come on." He pointed into the air as he screamed the lyrics.

"Shout, shout, let it all out, these are the things I can do without

"Come on, I'm talking to you, come on." He pointed up to the ceiling and screamed into the microphone as he leaned into a pose at the front to the stage.

"In violent times, you shouldn't have to sell your soul

"In black and white, they really ought to know

"Those one track minds that took you for a working whore

"Kiss them goodbye, you shouldn't have to jump for joy

"You shouldn't have to shout for joy. Jump, jump, jump, jump, jump."

"You shouldn't have to shout for joy.

"Shout! Shout! Let it all out

"These are the things I can do without, come on

"I'm talking to you so come on."

"They give you life...

"And in return you give them hell.

"As cold as ice, I hope we live to tell the tale

"I hope we live to tell the tale

"I hope we live to" Naruto shouted: "Shout" "the tale." The singer continued.

"Let it all out, these are the things I can do without

"Come on, I'm talking to you so come on."

"Will you never shout? HUH

"I feel as though you're never gonna let it all out

"Will you never shout? HUH

"I feel as though I know you're never gonna let it all out, will you never shout?

"HUH, I feel as though I know you're never gonna let it out

"And when you've taken down your guard...

"If I could change your mind...

"I'd really love to break your heart."

"Break, break, break, break, break." Naruto yelled.

"I'd really love to" "Shout" "your heart" "Shout" The two chorused.

"Let it all out

"These are the things I can do without, come on

"I'm talking to you so come on.

"I'd really love to"

"Shout, shout"

"Let it all out

"These are the things I can do without, come on

"I'm talking to you so come on.

"Come on let me shout shout let me

"Come on let me shout shout

"Come on let me shout shout let me

"Come on let me shout shout" The music stopped.

The crowd cheered. The four waved.

"Thank you, continent 52!" The singer shouted into the microphone, earning more screams of joy. He waved with both arms. Naruto and Sasuke handed the instruments back to Savage. Naruto turned to the two.

"At least stay for a couple of beers." The singer said sadly.

"Sorry, we've got to go find our friend." Naruto said with a smile and scratching his head. The drummer cupped his chin for a minute.

"Oh" He snaped his fingers and then moved his hands to outline a voluptuous figure. "You mean the cute girl with the nice body." Naruto and Sasuke sent neatly-wrapped death glares towards him. "Eh, sorry."

"Well, goodbye, it was nice playing with you guys, we should meet up for those beers sometime soon." The singer held out his hand and Naruto shook it. Sasuke shook hands with the drummer.

"Let's." Naruto said. "Bye for now." They waved as they left to follow savage back to Tsunade's office. "What were your names?" Naruto asked as he was about to pass through the door.

"Eh? Will and Alistair." The singer,better known as William, shouted back.

"Good to know." Naruto shouted down the hall way.

----------------------------

"So we've got to leave?" Sasuke stated simply.

"Of course, I'm not going to risk as much trouble as _their_ prepared to bring. It wouldn't be beneficial to begin with." Tsunade said. Her office had two bodyguards outside keeping a look out. In Tsunade's office their were another four standing in the corners. Sakura was standing next to Tsunade. Hinata stood in between Naruto and Sasuke a couple of feet away from Tsunade's desk. Hinata looked a little shaken from the news of an infiltrator. On this harsh side of a world where social standing is decided on who you know, strength, money and tact. Continent 52 was not the place to have someone with a dagger pointed to your back staying close behind you. Naruto and Sasuke didn't know what exactly Hinata had done besides run away but they knew that she'd end up in very bad shape if she was caught.

"When do we leave?" Naruto asked.

"Before dawn, so" She check her small silver watch. "Two hours. Be in the car park by then."

"Y-your go-going to help us e-escape?" Hinata asked, shakily.

"Of course. I keep my word." Tsunade paused for a minute, lost in the past. "Your not going alone though."

"Eh?" Naruto grunted.

--------------------------

"How did it turn out like this." Sasuke questioned himself. He was wearing a plain dark navy-blue t-shirt, a pair of black jeans, a pair of black trainers and a dark blue jumper with the zip undone. He looked at the 'amazing crew' that had been assembled. There was Naruto in his overly-loud orange hoody, a white, long-sleeve t-shirt, blue jeans and a pair of white and orange trainers. Hinata with her 'mended' yellow hat, a dark blue t-shirt, a teal-purple flease, baggy dark-shaded trousers and a pair of simple slip-on shoes. Sasuke predicted those two, but the next two made him shudder. There was Savage, Jim Savage with his usual dark set and his 'shades of fear' as he called them, and then there was Sakura who wore a pale pink t-shirt, a darker pink, unzipped jumper, much like Sasuke's, a pair of plain, light trousers and a pair of white running shoes.

"Tell me why _she's_ here." Sasuke said with obvious resentment. They hadn't spoken since his little 'crime'.

"She would be the best for looking after Hinata" Tsunade began. "She also took a liking to the piano a few years back." Tsunade finished with a grin.

"Tsunade-sama!" She retorted.

"Oh so that's where you've been, I thought you were beating people up for trying to vent some unexplained anger from the disappearance or loss of your parents at a young age and then being isolated and set aside for not having the family most others around you did." Everyone looked at Naruto.

"What did he just say." Tsunade said, her eye twitching. "Does he normally do that?"

"It's more random than not" Sasuke answered. "but he's usually gotten the right info somehow."

"All right you lot, it's time to go." Savage rounded them up into the car, their luggage in the back. Sasuke decided to go shot gun, Sakura behind him, Naruto sat behind Savage and Hinata right in between the two. A guard input a code and the cage door within the car park started to reel open.

Savage turned on the car, front lights blaring, and revved the engine up. They drove up the concrete tunnel to the surface. After this, they would be headed north, through into the country.

---------------------------------

There's a nice big over-sized chapter for you. OK if you want the excuses here they are:

Moved.

Video Games.

New school.

Lazy.

I've also realised all the mistakes I've made in the previous chapters, I'm going to have to revise those.

Here's a little something I wrote spontaneously, if you put it in your profile then give me the credit.

The dinner of the diner,

Could not be any finer.

The chips are greasy and the burgers too.

They deep-fry the vegetables,

And there are no collectables,

Except forks and spoons.

The 70s and 80s,

Or so they say matey,

Were the times of the 'dos'.

'Dos' as in hair-do. A.K.A Afro & etc.

Next chapter: Chapter 7: Hard work is good work.


	7. Hard Work is Good Work: The Rooms

I've been gone for ages, what can I say. Moving is finally done but I've got a huge amount of homework building up as I write so I'll try to make this quick – the fan-fic is not yet dead. I'll respond to reviews at a later date but for now this is gonna be short and sweet:

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing from the manga series 'Naruto'. I do not own any characters from the series 'Naruto' they were created by Misashi Kishimoto. I do not own any instruments or songs mentioned in this story. I DO, however, own any original characters, the story of this fan-fiction and the world I have set it in.

List of characters (I may have changed them slightly from the original creations but it's to go with the story.):

Sasuke: An Uchiha and long since lost from his family and all relations. He claims to play bass guitar and has enough sense to avoid trouble that would get someone around him killed. He tries to be thorough and hates constant nuisances. He is best friends with Naruto and they both got into trouble with a couple of different Mafia heads and are making their way north with the help of Jim Savage.

Naruto: The loud Uzumaki, often making mistakes and getting into trouble because of back talk and his loud attitude. He likes to fight for his friends and fights until the bitter end. He is best friends with Sasuke and they both got into trouble with two different Mafia leaders and they are now on the run up north with the help of Jim Savage.

Hinata: For reasons unknown she appears to have run away from the Hyūga family and met Naruto and Sasuke on a plane. After she tagged along with Naruto and Sasuke to Tsunade's, she was originally intended to be a bargaining chip but instead worked as a waitress for Tsunade. She has a slight stutter and easily gets embarrassed easily.

Sakura: She works under Tsunade and is ridiculously strong. Having lost her parents at a young age she has been haunted by memories in the past. Being taken under Tsunade's wing and with nothing much to do she was taught how to fight. She is currently travelling with Sasuke, Naruto, Hinata and Jim Savage under Tsunade's order.

Jim Savage: 'The Driver' is a servant, butler and a Jack-of-all-trades. He collected Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata from the airport and showed them where their first jobs would be. He is currently taking the four to a new location.

_**Band on the run: Chapter 7: Hard Work is Good Work: The Rooms**_

Sasuke kept looking out of the window as they drove along. It had been a few hours since they left the hell that was Tsunade's business but the three in the back had already fallen asleep. Sasuke saw the clouds in the grey sky - seemingly plains of grey that stretched as far as the eye can see – and the grim look of the green fields that covered the land beneath it.

"I'd keep my head away from the window if I were you." Sasuke looked at Savage.

"Why?" He asked. Savage smirked.

"Well as far as I know, this may just be an urban legend, but they say that up here and further north about this time of day" He said checking his watch which showed 10:07. "that everything in contact with glass and metal freezes to it for about an hour."

"So, your not from around here?" Sasuke inquired looking at Savage who let out a bellowing laughter.

"With this tan? Nah mate I'm from Eastern 3 – good place – sunny beaches, the wide open sea, a party every night of summer. Ah, takes me back." Savage grinned as he kept his eyes on the road. Sasuke decided to look back at the trio. Hinata was resting her head on Sakura's shoulder, Sakura's head was resting on Hinata's head and Naruto was resting his head against the window, drooling in his sleep and muttering about ramen. Sasuke turned back towards Savage.

"Should we tell him?" Savage looked in the rear-view mirror for a few seconds before smirking.

"And miss the chance to test the theory? Let's just keep this between you and me." Sasuke smirked and looked out the front window.

"So where are we headed?" He asked.

"We're going to lie low for a while, if anyone catches your scent a second time in this place then it's going to be an all out underground war. We lie low, get a couple of random people to look like you guys around the world, before they do anything they'll be on the wrong side of the world. You may not know this but it takes at least a month for the fastest delivery service to get anything anywhere that's not within the surrounding lands. Makes you realise how large the world is." Sasuke didn't look amused.

"So where are we headed right now?" Savage let out a small chuckled

"Boy you barely miss anything. We're going to a small village just before the wastes – Tsunade's orders – apparently there's some chef who owes her quite a few favours so she doesn't mind spending one on you guys." Sasuke relaxed a little, at least it's be quiet. "'Sides the guy will keep you in shape and teach you how to play properly – that playing last night was horrendous." Savage let out a haughty laugh. "I met the guy once, he'll teach you how to do justice to a song no doubt about that." Sasuke just scoffed and continued looking out the window as they drove along.

"Get this thing off me!" Naruto shouted while trying to push the glass from his face.

"Shut up Naruto!" Sasuke commanded sighing. He turned to one of the lone workers at the gas station. "Can we get him off the glass or do people have to see his mug from a million miles away?"

The attendant held his chin as he thought for a moment. He was an old man with a worn out dark green cap and a dark green gym suit and trainers. He suddenly spoke in a raspy voice. "There are a couple of ways: one: we could cut the glass from the window and start chiselling at his face."

"We need the window, keeps the breeze out." Sasuke said.

"Two: we could burn it off with a flame-thrower." The old an suggested.

"I like number two." Savage said to Sasuke who was nodding.

"Yeah me too." Sasuke replied. Hinata looked on.

"D-don't you think that's a bit h-harsh?" She asked.

"Maybe not harsh enough." Sakura suggested.

"Sakura-chan!" Hinata and Naruto shouted at the same time.

"Arg, fine what else is there?" Sakura asked.

The old man thought for a little longer muttering to himself. "Three is less humane but is sure to work." The old man said.

"We'll take it." Sasuke said.

"All right, let me get the form." The old man walked into the station and came out with a clipboard, form and pen.

"What's this for?" Sakura asked as they all crowded round.

"It's just technical legal stuff to say you approved of this treatment and I'm not to blame for anything – including physical and mental trauma." Sasuke scanned the form and assured the attendant was saying the truth. He signed and the others followed suit. All but Hinata stood and loomed over Naruto with menacing looks.

"Uh guys?" Naruto asked as they pushed the car along into a lone dark garage. After the door has closed, leaving only the attendant, Naruto and Savage in the garage, everyone looked on at the door. Then the heard Naruto's screams, their faces growing dimmer:

"Ouch! That hurt you bas- NO, NOT THAT! Wait, what is it- NOOOO! ARG HOW DOES THAT EVEN WORK? WAIT! A crowbar? NO NOT THERE! NOT THERE! ARGHHHHHHHHHH! WHY? WHAT DID I DO TO DESRVE THIS?"

After Naruto's screams had ended the garage door opened with a rusty tune. Naruto can rushing out and hugged the first person within proximity – Hinata. He cried as he knelt there hugging her.

"That was the saddest film I've ever seen!" He wailed with tears streaming out of his eyes.

"I-I-It's O-OK N-Na-Naruto-k-kun." Hinata said, bright red, while looking at the other two for help. Sakura said she'd help in a minute while taking pictures with her mobile and Sasuke had a look on his face of 'You will feel my pain. . .'

Savage and the attendant came out of the garage laughing their heads off. "You should've seen his face!" Savage said between fits of laughter.

"Your much more lax outside of work aren't you?" Sasuke said as Savage hung his arm around Sasuke's shoulders.

"Yeah but-" He burst into another fit of laughter.

"It's been quiet some time since I've seen someone cry like that over our production of 'The Murder at the Opera with puppies involved'." The attendant said as he walked out wiping his hands with an old oil rag. "I'll have the adjustments you wanted done by tomorrow Mr. Savage."

Savage finally got his laughter under control. "Thank you." He turned to the gang. "So should we go get lunch?" He got a couple of nods from the group.

They set off down the road after collecting their bags. The town was small, quiet and spread apart so that there was a constant, calming sense of space. The past a few buildings before coming to an old motel. Savage walked into the reception area, the others close behind. They looked about the dusty interior – the rays of light revealing the dust that floated elegantly through the air. The floor's carpet was worn and dull; the walls covered by ripped wallpaper with a simple flower design; the counter was made of splintered wood that bore only a rusted bell and a log book of those that stayed for the night with a broken spine. There were many hooks on the wall for holding the keys to the different rooms situated around the car park. Only were left, rusted and broken.

"Charming." Sakura commented as they walked up to the counter. :DING: Savage rung the bell.

"One minute!" A call came from a door behind the counter. The door swung open and a young woman appeared swiftly walking straight to the door, her shoulder-length chestnut hair hanging loosely hanging down to hear dark-green jumper and a pair of glasses sat upon her nose. "Can I help you?" She said sweetly.

"We need a few rooms for the night." Savage said bluntly. The woman opened the book with the broken spine and checked the register.

"There are about three rooms left right now." She said as she looked from one person to the other.

"We'll take them." Savage said handing money over in exchange for three sets of keys from under the counter. As they started to leave the hotel assistant called over:

"Excuse me sir, may I have a word?" Savage looked at the four teenagers. He threw a set of keys at Sasuke and a set at Sakura.

"Go ahead, I'll only be a minute." The four walked out. Savage turned to the assistant. "What do you wish to tell me?"

The four stepped out into the cool breeze and looked to their right to the near desolate car park – filled with only an old scrap heap of a car without wheels or windows and a plain blue 1976 AMC Pacer. They walked along the rows of doors around the square car park, counting the numbers off as they walked. One room – number 4 – was right next to the main building. Sakura started trying to force the key into the keyhole as the two boys continued counting the door numbers off until the reached number thirteen on the other side of the car park, the last room. As Sasuke opened the door, the door to room number seven opened. A tall thin man with a white vest and an equally plain unbuttoned shirt, baggy brown trousers, trainers, a cowboy hat and a bottle of whisky in his hand as he leaned against the door.

"Hi neighbours!" He called over to the two different points before taking a swig of whisky. "You sure you want to stay here?" He said as Sakura managed to open the door and Sasuke's struggling with pushing the door until the lock broke and the door flung open. Hinata and Sakura's room had two single beds, an old TV, a couple of chairs, a plain window and a small bathroom. Everything was coated with a pall of dust. Naruto and Sasuke's room was almost exactly the same – except for having a small couch instead of a couple of chairs and a king-sized bed in exchange for the singles. Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other and shook their hands up and down.

"Paper beats rock." Sasuke said as he walked into the room. The man called over again.

"Nice 'ain't it?" He said, his eyebrows going up and down before taking another swig of whisky.

"Beggars can't be choosers" Sakura called back as she followed Hinata into the room.

"Hit rock-bottom eh?"

"We've been in worse." Naruto said as he headed into the room.

"If it's a back-alley and a skip I've been there but if you want some advice about this place then come round in a bit." The man said as he closed his door. Sasuke just put his bags by the bed.

"What was that about?" Naruto asked as he put his by the sofa and lay down on it, feeling the springs push into his back.

"I don't know, but we should be out of here tomorrow and moving on north." Sasuke headed out of the room, taking the keys with him.

"Where are you going?" Naruto called. Sasuke held up a small bucket.

"Getting some ice." He called over as he walked through the car park, lazily, and headed for the main building.

"I suppose I'll go talk to the odd guy then." Naruto said as he left the room, closing the door behind him and heading to room number seven. He rapped on the door and was answered by the same strange man. "So what advise have you got?" Naruto asked.

The man smiled. Well let's just say that after dark, pretend you don't exist and fortify your room with whatever you've got." Naruto looked sceptical.

"Why?"

"What?" Savage asked. The assistant looked at her watch and headed for the door behind her. As she opened it, Sasuke walked in and headed for the ice machine to the side of the room.

"As I said, lock the door and barricade the window after dark. There's been some strange events lately and it's best to be cautious." She said as she walked through the doorway, to a staircase, and bent down after climbing a few stairs. "Enjoy your stay" She said with a sickly sweet smile and cute voice before closing the door and letting several resounding locks chime from behind it.

"Well that was weird." Sasuke bluntly said as ice clanged into the small plastic bucket. Savage looked about strangely before heading out. He paused. "Don't walk about alone, I've got a very bad feeling about this place."

"Gotcha." Sasuke said as he watched the last of the ice fall into the bucket and picked it up before leaving the lobby as desolate as before. . .

"There's rumours of some weird shit going down – and I'm not talking about chavs and graffiti – I'm talking about murders." Naruto took a step back.

"MURDER?" He shouted The man put his finger to his lips and shushed him.

"Keep it down!" He said, his voice now a whisper." Anyway, don't go about alone and definitely don't be seen outside after dark. Mind you" He checked a clock on his TV. "it's three pm. The sun will be going down in two hours, best get home." The man whistled. "Nice talking to you bud' but I'm not risking anything until I can get out of here – and I suggest you do the same." Naruto heard a couple of barks and jumped into the man's arms. He saw behind him two large dogs – German shepherds – panting and begging for food.

"These are my friends, Timothy and Louis. They stay in with me and we stay out of trouble." The man said as he put a shaking Naruto on the ground.

"Sorry, bad experience with a dog recently." Naruto said as he scratched the back of his head. The dogs walked into the room and the man drew the door close.

"Yeah, yeah, look get back and prepare for dark, I've got the worst of feeling for tonight and that doesn't happen often." The man drew the door until it was a centimetre away from being closed. "Take care of yourself friend, and warn those girls to barricade in themselves, though I doubt they'll be killed instead of trafficked."

"What's your name?" Naruto asked.

"Vince, Vince Peter-son."

"I'm Naruto." Naruto said. Vince smirked.

"Take care of yourself then Naruto." Vince closed the door and Naruto headed over to the girls' room. He knocked on their door as Sasuke and Savage walked up to the door.

"Did you hear?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah." Savage answered. Hinata opened the door, dressed messily and seemingly just out of the shower. Naruto took on his cheeking grin.

"What you been doing?" He asked cheekily.

"U-um Sa-Sakura-ch-chan really wanted a shower so u-um I-I was ki-kicked o-out." She said, slightly embarrassed.

"I glad that's all that's been going on." Savage said. Sasuke looked at him dully. He shrugged. "You never know, after you."

"What do you mean 'after'? It's never been." Sasuke countered.

"Uh guys," The two turned to Naruto. "this is weird coming from me but back to the subject at hand?" Naruto asked.

"Sure." Sasuke said.

"Um, Hinata, you need to be careful around here. . ."

:BANG::BANG::BANG: Sasuke kept hammering his trainer against the wooden shelves from the cupboard against the window sill. He wiped his brow as Naruto finished blocking the door with the sofa and bags. The light for the room was turned off and the light from the TV lit the room as a comedy show dragged on and repetitive laughter was heard.

"You done yet?" Sasuke asked as he checked the walls for any weaknesses.

"Yeah" Naruto said as he checked the bathroom. After they were down, tapping the walls and making sure the door and window were secured they sat down on the coach and looked at the TV. Still as statues.

:Bzzt: "You two there? Over" :Bzzt: Sasuke picked up a walkie-talkie.

:Bzzt: "We're here, we just finished boarding up. How about you guys? Over" :Bzzt:

:Bzzt: "We're fine right now. Sav. is in room no.9 and boarded. We've boarded with everything we could find. Over" :Bzzt:

:Bzzt: "OK. We'll keep in touch every half-hour and take shifts. Over.:Bzzt:

Sasuke put the talkie down and returned to watching the TV – it's blue light flashing into the far reaches of the room where only darkness dare roamed and where only the deadly silence could be found.

It had been many hours since Sakura and Hinata had boarded up. It was now well into the night, roughly 1 o'clock, and the moonlight and chilling air would be entering the small and unkempt room but the heavy boards and shelves prevented this ungodly disturbance. Hinata was sleeping peacefully on one of the beds – still dressed – while Sakura was waiting for the annual response from the walkie-talkie.

She looked at Hinata while waiting for everyone to respond. Then, she heard footsteps.

Naruto and Sasuke stared into the tv like junkies. The images mesmerised them in their tired state.

:Tap:

Sasuke jumped out of his chair and grabbed the walkie talkie. Naruto stood up from his chair and turned the sound of the tv to mute manually.

"Sakura, come in Sakura, this is Sasuke. Have you detected any disturbance? Over."

He waited in silence but no reply came.

:Tap::Tap:

He and Naruto started looking around their boarded shelter. They turned to a boarded window.

"Sakura, come in Sakura. Over." Sasuke pleaded into the talkie.

They heard load stomps from the wall behind them. They turned around and heard footfalls as if they fell onto the wall rather than the ground.

They heard more footfalls on that wall. Then they were on the roof and the floor beneath their feet.

:Tap::Tap::Tap:

They turned back to the boarded window, but the sound didn't come from there.

The tv's pale blue light flickered – their only source of vision. It died down slowly, painfully. It flickered once. Then twice. Then thrice. Then no more.

They remained without sight, without sense, without reason. They could only hear the footfalls slowly fade out.

"Hey, I think it's going to be okay." Naruto whispered. Sasuke turned to his voice.

"What was that?" He asked.

:Tap: :Tap: :Tap:

They both spun around relentlessly.

:Tap: :Tap: :Tap:

Naruto started whimpering and Sasuke shook with fear. Neither knew what to do. Neither knew what it was.

:Tap: :Tap: Tap:

The tv flickered on. At first not showing it's full light before resuming it's channel. Naruto and Sasuke turned to the tv.

"Hello everybody out there, this is uncle Bob's early morning show." The sound returned. Naruto jumped onto it and flicked it to mute.

It remained the same.

"Tonight, we have a very special show – newcomers in the town!" Uncle Bob continued.

"Turn it off!" Sasuke ordered.

"I'm trying!" Naruto complained. He flicked the on/off button rapidly. It broke off. Sasuke's eyes widened as Naruto scrambled in fear. They both jumped to pull out the power cable. It easily crumbled and tore into pieces. The tv remained on.

"Oh look at them go, their trying to stop the tv and failing! Ha ha ha!" Uncle Bob jeered. The two looked at the tv. "Well sorry boys, I'm here to stay. . ."

:Tap: :Tap: :Tap:

"As is he." Uncle Bob pointed straight between the two. There stood a figure engulfed in darkness. The only visible thing was a curved knife which tapped at the wall.

:Scratch: :Scratch: :Scratch:

The knife clawed at the plaster.

"Looks like he's in the mood." Said uncle Bob.

"In the mood for what?" Asked Naruto.

"In the mood for, watching the light leave your eyes – get 'em boy!" Uncle Bob cheered.

The figure with the knife jumped forward. The knife easily split the tv in half. Leaving nothing ut darkness. Naruto and Sasuke backed up against separate walls. They heard foot falls head for what they believed to be the doorway. They heard crashing as the boards for the window fell down. Little light entered, but they both realised they were alone. They panted heavily and the feeling of fear in their guts was companioned by blood burning round their hearts. Sasuke lifted his shaking hand to speak into the walkie-talkie.

"Sakura, come in Sakura." Sasuke said. He received static. "Sakura, come in Sakura." The static continued.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" They heard a high-pitched scream shake the foundations and shakle their souls. They stared out the window to see a door on the other side of the car park blocked by half a rusted, old broken car. A slit of light from the window told all that need be said as the boards behind it fell down and revealed the scene within.

No idea when next chappie is coming out.

Next chapter: 8: Hard Work is good work: Journey to the Other Side


	8. HW is GW: Journey to the Other Side 1

Rewritten to:

A) Make sense.

B) Actually be worth a damn.

C)I want to get back into this.

And yes, I know I'm in need for a few thousand bloody noses.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or anything from the manga 'Naruto' or any of the instruments or mentioned songs in this fanfiction, they belong to their respective creators. I do, however, own the original characters, places, and story-line of this fic.

Band on the Run: Chapter 8: Hard Work is Good Work: Journey to the Otherside

Naruto and Sasuke peered with utmost horror at the scene through the glass. Across the concrete car park, the field of stone and grey that lay between the two rooms, they saw a shadow. It was a young woman's. It flickered as the light in the room did, like a fleeting candle's flame. They saw the shadow weep and moan. They felt it reach out, heard the shadow tap the window with its finger-tips. Saw Sakura's bloodied face, the expression of pain clearer then the red, peer back. She screamed help, but they didn't hear her. They couldn't.

Naruto threw himself towards the wall and threw up. Sasuke fell to his knees – still able to bear witness and torment of the scene before him. Neither could speak. Their voices had fled, courage forgotten and bodies shook.

The TV in its shattered pieces flickered on to reveal Uncle Bob.

"Well, well, looks like he got one of them!" The senial old man cackled. Sasuke made a break for the TV, kicking it up against the wall in confused frustration. "Now that won't help boy!" Uncle Bob laughed. "You might as well take a leaf out'ta your friend's book!" Uncle Bob pointed to the door and Sasuke turned to see Naruto tearing the boards down. Sasuke tackled him against the wall. He held Naruto up by the scruff.

"What are you doing?" He shouted. "You trying to get us killed?" Naruto head butted Sasuke – sending him back a few steps.

"We can't just leave them! Hinata might-"

"You saw what happened to Sakura!" Sasuke pointed through the window. "If she couldn't survive how long do you think Hinata would have?" Naruto ground his teeth.

"You son of a-"

"Face the facts!" Sasuke shouted, overpowering Naruto's voice. "If Sakura got taken down then their dead!" Naruto scoffed and turned to the door, pulling at another board. Sasuke growled and through a fist into Naruto's face. Naruto seethed with anger and delivered his own fist into Sasuke's gut – winding him.

"I've been training too!" He shouted at the gasping Sasuke. He heaved as he pulled another plank off. "If they are then we can catch the killer – at least he'll be punished!" Sasuke got his breath back, still kneeling.

"With what? Stuck in a cell?" Sasuke ridiculed. "You saw how he got from here to there didn't you? There could be two!"

"Just shut up and admit your scared!" Naruto shouted, bringing Sasuke to a halt. "Ever since you saw that shadow you've been all over the place – I'm surprised your not running up the walls!" Naruto pulled another plank off, only two left.

"You have to face the facts!"

"Shut up!" Naruto pulled off the penultimate board. "For all we know that could have been some fancy tech!" Sasuke ground to a halt and his mind started ticking. For once, Naruto had started pointing out alternate possibilities. Naruto grabbed the last board, full of energy. Sasuke grabbed his wrist. "What are you?"

"Shh." Sasuke shushed him and spoke in a much calmer tone. "If we do this, we do this my way."

They slithered out of the door. Instead of heading for the girl's room straight off the bat, they circled around the complex. There was nothing but an endlessly dark forest and the moonlight. They stepped lively, without a whisper, an small twigs snapping under their feet occasionally. Every time they reached a window, they stopped and carefully peered through. Each and every one was boarded up to keep prying eyes out. They persisted.

Soon they reached the corner and looked around. Naruto slipped an eye around the corner and looked on for two seconds. He shook his hand. They pressed on, staying next to the wall and carefully checking every window.

"I thought there were only three rooms left." Naruto whispered.

"Exactly." Sasuke whispered back, pressing his ear against the wall. "All quiet."

Naruto nodded and they pressed on. Sasuke began to check back every now and then. A slight paranoia. Naruto began to flicker towards the trees. Nothing to see.

They gave up their window searching and headed straight for the girl's room. There was a faint light slipping through the small window to their bathroom. It was too high for either of them to see through alone. Sasuke pointed up. He kneeled and Naruto stepped onto his shoulders.

"Stay still." Naruto whispered. Carefully balancing. Sasuke let out a small grunt – the phrase 'your too bloody heavy' entered his mind. Naruto peered through the dust and the little gaps of the boards.

"Anything?" Naruto wiped away the film of dust. He could hear something. Water flowing. Maybe a tap. It was faint. He peered through to see parts of the small en-suite. It had the bare minimum – a toilet.

Strictly, that wasn't fair. There was also a small shower cubicle and paint on the walls – more than the hole in the ground the boys had been given. Naruto peered around for the sink.

Something flashed in front of Naruto's eyes.

"BWAAH!" Naruto screamed, shivered ricocheting up and down his spine. All subtlety lost. He fell down – landing on top of Sasuke.

"Smooth." Sasuke commented, voice dripping with sarcasm and Naruto on his back. "Get off." He whispered. Naruto got up and stepped back from the walls – towards the forest. "What?" Sasuke asked. He looked up to see the flicker of the light through the window. He turned to Naruto full of anxiety and energy.

"We take them head on!" At that command, Naruto dashed with Sasuke in tow to complete their circle and reach the front door to the girl's room.


End file.
